Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the insurance industry on ensuring that domestic air-to-water heat pumps installed under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and other government-supported programmes are covered under standard home insurance policies; and what steps he is taking to protect homeowners from being left without cover for these systems.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Heat pumps installed under UK government schemes must be fitted by installers certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), the leading standards organisation for microgeneration technologies. MCS is undergoing major reforms, due to be introduced later this year, including a proposed requirement for a 6-year guarantee on new heat pump installations.
Government regularly engages with the heat pump industry and the Association of British Insurers to ensure no specific exclusions or impacts arise from installations. As with any retrofit work, property owners are advised to consult their home insurance provider to understand their policy and whether additional cover is needed for heating systems.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the boiler upgrade scheme to social housing tenants.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides support to property owners in England and Wales to replace their existing fossil fuel boiler with a low carbon alternative by providing grants to reduce the total cost of the installation.
Other government schemes provide support for low-income households including social housing tenants to get a heat pump, such as the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and Warm Homes: Local Grant, Energy Company Obligation, Local Authority Delivery and Home Upgrade Grant.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans she has to support (a) the Ants Group and (b) other renewable energy companies to help achieve the Government’s net zero targets by 2030.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government recognises the important roles that renewables developers, contractors and suppliers play in contributing to the achievement of its net zero targets.
The Government has provided significant additional funding for renewable energy projects this autumn. Provisions include support via the next Contracts for Difference Allocation Round, funding for renewables manufacturing, and investment tax measures.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of some utility companies prohibiting payment of bills at high street banks and post offices on affected customers; and whether her Department is taking steps to help support people who do not have access to online and telephone banking to set up direct debits with their utility suppliers.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Supply Licence requires suppliers to offer a wide choice of payment methods and must include payment by cash and in advance through Pre-payment Metres. Some suppliers have stopped providing a Giro Payment slip on bills to encourage customers to switch to online or telephone banking, but these suppliers must provide a giro payment if requested in-line with their Supplier Licence Conditions.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing service standards with timescales for the repayment of accumulated credit on live energy accounts.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
Ofgem rules state that consumers can ask for their credit on an open energy account to be refunded at any time. Suppliers are required to comply with refund requests in a timely manner unless it is fair and reasonable for them to refuse.
In February 2023, Ofgem completed a Market Compliance Review on Direct Debits. Through this intervention they secured supplier improvements in relation to credit balance arrangements, including improved refund timescales ensuring consumer credit balances are returned promptly when requested, and the creation of formal Direct Debit and Credit Balance Refund policies where these did not previously exist.