Image: Shutterstock
The UK Government has announced it will make £1 billion of public funding available for an energy efficiency scheme to help households reduce their energy bills.
The new ECO+ scheme – which will run from spring 2023 for up to three years – will extend support to those who currently do not benefit from any other government support to upgrade their homes.
Around 80% of the funding will be made available to the least energy efficient homes in the lower Council Tax bands, i.e. those with an EPC rating of D or below, while around a fifth of the funding will be provided to the most vulnerable consumers, including those on means tested benefits or in fuel poverty.
The scheme, which will enable households to install energy-saving measures, predominantly insulation measures, will help save an estimated £310 a year on energy bills as well as support the government’s new ambition to reduce the UK’s final energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030.
A new £18 million public information campaign will also offer technical tips and advice for people to reduce their energy use while keeping warm this winter.
In addition, the government plans to significantly expand its Help for Households campaign to help customers to reduce their energy usage and bills as well as give vulnerable groups the right information for doing so without harming their health.
That includes reducing the temperature a boiler heats water to before it is sent to radiators from 75⁰C to 60⁰C, turning down radiators in empty rooms and reducing heating loss from homes by draught proofing windows and doors.
The latest measure is an extension of the existing Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, which has delivered around 3.5 million energy efficient measures in around 2.4 million homes.
The £1 billion scheme is backed by a new £6 billion investment – which will be made available from 2025 to 2028 – to contribute to the existing £6.6 billion energy efficiency funding pot, which the government has pledged over this Parliament to help decarbonise homes and buildings and ensure all homes meet EPC Band C by 2035.
The government is consulting on its plans until 23rd December 2022.
