The UK government has allocated £1bn in funding from existing budgets for an ‘Eco Plus’ scheme for the next three years.
The scheme, which launches in April 2023, will cover efficiency measures for over 70,000 homes and aims to save consumers hundreds of pounds on heating bills annually.
Ministers will consult on plans to make the money available to people in council tax bands A to D, according to an article from The Times.
The article says the government will meet 75% of the cost of any upgrades.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) says it welcomes the announcement.
The plans, which are set to be introduced next week, will look to fund loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, and smart heating controls.
Rics senior public affairs officer Sam Rees says: “Rics has called for a more targeted approach towards energy efficiency funding for several years. This announcement is timely, and we welcome the government’s support for residential retrofitting.”
“Our research found that due to the cost-of-living crisis, consumers are more cautious about spending money on retrofitting and other measures to improve energy efficiency and save money in the long term. Funding in this space should help ease these financial concerns and get this crucial aspect of the net zero agenda back on track.”
“We remind consumers that it is essential that they consult a suitable surveyor before retrofitting their home to ensure that there are no unintended consequences from work undertaken. We hope the government’s promotion of this scheme clarifies this.”
“Due to current geopolitical events, energy security is also at the forefront of concerns, and greater energy efficiency helps secure the UK’s energy infrastructure.
We look forward to engaging with the specifics of the scheme once fully revealed next week.”
Original Article
