Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what consideration her Department gives to (a) the age of housing stock, (b) the proportion of off-grid properties and (c) average standing charges in Wales when designing energy support for households and businesses in Wales.

The Government considers the impacts of different housing types and consumer circumstances across Great Britain when designing energy support schemes.

Energy efficiency is largely devolved in Wales, and the Welsh Government is responsible for its own fuel poverty and home upgrade programmes, while the UK Government continues to engage closely with Welsh Ministers and officials on areas of shared interest.

UK-wide support available in Wales includes the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, where the grant level for off-gas gid homes by oil or LPG was recently increased to £9,000.

The Government is investing £15 billion through the Warm Homes Plan and support is targeted towards households most at risk of fuel poverty, underpinned by the Fuel Poverty Strategy, which ensures extra funding goes to those on lower incomes and living in less energy-efficient homes.

Standing charges are regulated by Ofgem, which is responsible for decisions on their structure and level.