Energy Saving Trust today (Wednesday 16 June) has joined over 20 businesses and civil society organisations to urge the UK Government to introduce a Fair Heat Deal to make clean heating affordable for all.
The Fair Heat Deal would make the phase out of gas boilers attractive for everyone, by providing free heat pumps and insulation to fuel poor households, as well as bringing the cost of heat pumps in line with boilers for those who can afford it.
It also urges the government to ensure that the cost of running a heat pump is cheaper than running a gas boiler. This would help households in the UK benefit from cheaper energy bills and warmer homes, at the same time as drastically cutting carbon emissions from buildings.
Chief Executive Mike Thornton commented: “With the climate emergency upon us, there is no time to waste and we need to take positive action. We have to make our homes more energy efficient and move away from reliance on fossil fuels for heating.
“Heat pumps are an important low carbon heating technology that will help us meet net zero. A Fair Heat Deal will make heat pumps more attractive to householders and help them to switch over to low carbon heating.
“For the UK to reach its net zero targets, we need real pace and scale in rolling out heat pumps. A Fair Heat Deal will provide the confidence, clarity and certainty which will unlock the investment required for this.”
The Fair Heat Deal would include:
- Removing levies from electricity bills to ensure running costs for heat pumps are lower than for boilers.
- Free heat pumps and insulation for fuel poor and low income households.
- Grants to equalise the cost of a new heat pump with a gas boiler.
- Financial incentives including zero VAT on green home products and insulation and green Stamp Duty to reduce the cost of low carbon homes.
- Strong consumer protections.
- A Warm Homes Agency to train installers, create green jobs across the UK, and maintain high standards.
Read the full statement, including a list of signatories, here.
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