Warm Homes Plan

Joe Morris (Hexham) (Lab), Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab), and Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) (Lab) asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Miatta Fahnbulleh, about the steps being taken to introduce the government's warm homes plan. In response, the Minister stated that the government is working to deliver the warm homes plan, which will upgrade homes across the country to make them warmer and cheaper to run. The full plan will be set out in the spring, but it will include an offer of grants and low-interest loans to support families in investing in insulation, low-carbon heating, and home improvements. Additionally, the government is committed to boosting minimum energy efficiency standards for private rented homes and social housing to tackle fuel poverty. Joe Morris welcomed the announcement to end the scandal of cold, draughty homes in the rental sector, which particularly affects the poorest in his constituency. The Minister agreed, noting that one in four households in the private rented sector is in fuel poverty, and the government's commitment to improve and boost minimum energy efficiency standards will lift 1 million renters out of fuel poverty. Laura Kyrke-Smith expressed concern about her constituents' ability to afford to heat their homes this winter, and she noted that the former Energy Minister, now the shadow Minister, had admitted that the previous Conservative government should have gone "further and faster" on insulating homes. The Minister agreed that the legacy left by the previous government was "woeful" and that ordinary people have paid the price, but she assured that the government's warm homes plan will kickstart the upgrades needed across the country. Dr Rupa Huq welcomed the plan, noting that there is no national retrofit advice service in the UK, and she suggested that the government could take a leaf out of Sadiq Khan's book, as his service in London has helped 24,000 households. The Minister acknowledged the critical role for national advice and stated that the government will be looking at this as part of the warm homes plan. Other interventions included a discussion about a constituent's issue with a solar panel installation, and a question from Ellie Chowns (North Herefordshire) (Green) about ensuring that new homes are built to net zero standards. The Minister agreed to meet to discuss the solar panel issue and stated that the government has an ambitious plan to build more homes that are fit for the future.