The NIA has launched a report today, calling for the Home Upgrades Grant Scheme promised in the 2019 Conservative Manifesto to be fast-tracked as part of the green recovery, providing a considered view on  how the scheme might work.

Link to full report

Link to full press release
Key benefits from the scheme are shown in the image below:

How would the scheme work?
- The Home Upgrade Grant Scheme should be launched this calendar year as part of the post-covid stimulus package
- A street by street approach to the home upgrades should be taken, tackling clusters of properties at the same time
- A two stage process should be taken consisting of a retrofit assessment following by deep retrofit upgrades for homes most in need.
- Grants should be used for a combination of fabric efficiency improvements (such as loft and wall insulation) and low carbon heating systems (such as heat pumps)
- Properties would be identified by local authorities working closely with BEIS Local Energy Hubs.

Derek Horrocks, Chairman of the National Insulation Association, said:
“The benefits that come from improving the quality of our homes are substantial on any level but particularly now as we come out of the crisis. Jobs have been lost, incomes have dipped and at the same time energy bills have risen because we are spending more time at home.
For anyone living in or at risk of being affected by fuel poverty, this is critical – and the best way to tackle the issue is to improve the quality of our homes.
Providing support to those in need must take priority, but incentivizing the deep street by street retrofits that will be needed to achieve our climate targets will drive uptake in all homes below standard; this makes sense when it can be done at the same time.
If we are going to ‘build back better,’ it is now time to turn promises into action. After being hit hard by the pandemic, the industry is ready and waiting to respond to an increase in demand - but the signal of certainty must first come from the Government. Once this happens, the sector is ready to go.”

The NIA report follows the Committee on Climate Change’s most recent Progress Report to Parliament, which highlights the lack of progress made over the past 12 months towards delivering on climate goals, with buildings and heating policy lagging behind what is needed. Within the report, the CCC recognises that ‘retrofit to increase building heat efficiency has been largely unaddressed’ and calls for upgrades to our homes and the integration of emission reduction measures within them. The Home Upgrade Grant Scheme is exactly the type of intervention that can help to make this goal a reality, and at a critical turning point for the Government following the COVID-pandemic, the opportunity simply cannot be missed.

Notes to Editors:

1. Link to full report
2. Link to full press release
3. The National Insulation Association (NIA) represents the insulation industry in the UK with a member base comprised of installers, system certificate holders, and manufacturers who provide a wide range of insulation solutions for homes and buildings. The NIA and its members are fully committed to maintaining and raising standards within the insulation industry
4. Please contact Christina Thompson-Yates Telephone: 07394 560 984| Email christina.thompsonyates@ecuity.com