With decisions imminent on the future of the Government’s energy efficiency scheme, the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), the National Insulation Association (NIA) is urging the Prime Minister and Chancellor to retain the ECO and take the opportunity to make changes to the scheme to significantly increase the number of households receiving help and accelerate the pace of delivery.
Neil Marshall, Chief Executive of the NIA commented: “It is imperative that we maximise the number of households receiving home insulation measures as quickly as possible for a variety of reasons:
- There are over 7m homes requiring solid wall insulation, over 5m homes requiring cavity wall insulation and 7m homes with inadequate loft insulation.
- To help offset recent energy price increases – the average dual fuel bill now stands at over £1,400 per year!
- To combat fuel poverty – the NEA estimates that there are over 6.5m million UK households living in fuel poverty.
- To reduce excess winter deaths – figures published by the Office for National Statistics this week estimate that there were 31,000 excess winter deaths in England and Wales in 2012/13,an increase of 29% on the previous winter.
- To reduce health risks – The Guardian reported this week that figures released by the Department of Health show that over 28,000 cases of hypothermia were treated in 2012/13 – an increase of 25% on the previous year and 40% on the year before that. .
- To safeguard jobs – ACE estimates that up to 30,000 jobs within the energy efficiency sector could be lost if ECO is rolled back or scrapped
- To get ECO back on track – latest Government statistics show that the number of home insulation measures carried out this year under ECO are some 50% below their expectations.
Home insulation can make a major impact on all of these, delivering long term sustainable savings on fuel bills whilst providing warmer and more comfortable homes”.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, insulation can provide the following savings on energy bills:
- Solid Wall Insulation saves up to up to £490* per year
- Cavity Wall Insulation saves around £140* per year
- Loft Insulation saves around £180* per year
In conclusion Marshall says “The Prime Minister has the opportunity to take decisive action and show true leadership in strengthening the ECO in the Autumn Statement – he must seize this opportunity to improve the lives of millions of needy households this winter!”