Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to respond to the letter dated 17 January 2023 from the APPG for Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency on prepayment meters.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department aims to respond to 80% of correspondence within 15 working days.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State received the letter of the 17 January from the AAPG for Fuel Poverty and Efficiency on prepayment meters and will reply shortly.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the End Fuel Poverty Coalition's analysis of official data on the levels of excess winter deaths caused by cold homes, published in December 2022, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of that organisation's findings on trends in the number of excess deaths caused by living in cold and damp homes.
Answered by Graham Stuart
It is likely that a combination of factors has contributed to excess deaths over winter 2022/23, including high flu prevalence, cold weather, the ongoing challenges of COVID-19 and health conditions including heart disease and diabetes. However, the Government recognises the difficulty many households, especially vulnerable households, are experiencing this winter.
Energy efficiency improvements are the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term. Measures are available through a range of schemes including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, the Home Upgrade Grant and the Energy Company Obligation.
The Government has also announced significant support for this winter and next with specific measures for the most vulnerable.
Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to target all the funding from the ECO+ scheme at the low-income eligibility group in order to help meet the Government's fuel poverty targets.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government published a consultation on the design of the ECO+scheme, which proposed a requirement for a minimum of 20% of the obligation to be delivered to low-income households. The Government has not proposed to restrict the number of low-income households that can be supported through the scheme. The remaining obligation is available to both low-income households and a wider customer base, who otherwise would not be eligible for any support through other Government energy efficiency schemes.
The Government is analysing responses to the consultation and will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of homes in fuel poverty that will be upgraded from Energy Performance Certificate (a) Band D and below to (b) B and C and above due to works undertaken through Government-funded schemes in England and Wales in the period between October 2022 and October 2023.
Answered by Graham Stuart
BEIS estimates that up to 55% of households receiving energy efficiency measures will elevate their EPC rating from D or below to C or above in the Sustainable Warmth Scheme.
The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) focuses on improving social homes below EPC C up to that standard. Around 61% of target households for the SHDF are fuel poor. The SHDF Demonstrator awarded funding in 2021 to social landlords across England and Scotland, seeing up to 2,000 social homes improved. SHDF Wave 1 awarded funding for delivery from 2022 into 2023 and will see up to 20,000 social homes in England improved.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an estimate of the number of homes in fuel poverty that were upgraded from Energy Performance Certificate (a) Band D and below to (b) Band C and above due to works undertaken through Government-funded schemes in England and Wales in the period between October 2021 and October 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart
BEIS estimates that up to 55% of households receiving energy efficiency measures will elevate their EPC rating from D or below to C or above in the Sustainable Warmth Scheme.
The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) focuses on improving social homes below EPC C up to that standard. Around 61% of target households for the SHDF are fuel poor. The SHDF Demonstrator awarded funding in 2021 to social landlords across England and Scotland, seeing up to 2,000 social homes improved. SHDF Wave 1 awarded funding for delivery from 2022 into 2023 and will see up to 20,000 social homes in England improved.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason the allocated percentage of ECO+ funding was targeted at the low-income eligibility group; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of targeting all ECO+ funding at low-income households on the Government's ability to meet its fuel poverty targets by 2030.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government published a consultation on the design of ECO+, which proposed a requirement for a minimum of 20% of the obligation to be delivered to low-income households. The Government has not restricted the amount of low-income households that can be supported through the scheme. The remaining obligation is available to both low-income households and a wider customer base who are not eligible for any support through other government energy efficiency schemes.
The Government is analysing responses to the consultation and will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce a home heating support fund.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has expanded the Warm Home Discount from this year, providing rebates worth £150 to over 3 million households across Great Britain. The Government has also reformed the scheme in England and Wales, to provide more rebates automatically to households, without having to apply.
This support comes in addition to the cost-of-living support packages announced this year. Energy efficiency remains the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term, with support available through the Energy Company Obligation, Home Upgrade Grant, Local Authority Delivery scheme and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to people experiencing fuel poverty as a result of increased energy bills.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting all households, especially low income and vulnerable households.
This winter, the Government is providing direct support to millions of households through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
This is in addition to targeted support through the cost of living support packages, announced in May (2022-23) and November (2023-24). Both packages target vulnerable and low income households, including those on means-tested benefits, pensioners and those with a disability.
Energy efficiency remains the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term, with support available through the Energy Company Obligation, Home Upgrade Grant, Local Authority Delivery scheme and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to take further steps to support people who are in fuel poverty despite existing Government support for energy bills.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty and supporting households both in the short and long term. Therefore, the Government is providing direct financial support for households this year in addition to established support including the Warm Home Discount.
The Government considers improving the energy efficiency of homes the best way to tackle fuel poverty and reduce energy costs in the long term. Energy efficiency measures are available to low income and vulnerable households through multiple schemes including the Energy Company Obligation, the Home Upgrade Grant, the Local Authority Delivery scheme and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department is taking steps to increase the number of installations of energy efficiency measures in homes in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Improving the energy efficiency of the UK’s housing stock is critical in supporting households and contributing to the Government's Net Zero target.
In particular, it is essential that the Government supports low income, vulnerable and fuel poor households with energy efficiency measures, making it easier to heat homes and contribute to the long-term reduction in energy bills. The latest fuel poverty statistics show that, in 2020, in Ellesmere Port and Neston 12.2% of households were in fuel poverty.
Measures are being delivered to fuel poor households through a range of schemes including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, the Home Upgrade Grant, the Local Authority Delivery Scheme and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). ECO has delivered 4,505 measures in Ellesmere Port and Neston as at end of September 2022.