A £15 billion plan to tackle the UK's warm homes crisis has been met with skepticism from experts, who fear it may prioritize generating low-carbon energy over actually saving households cash on their energy bills. The plan, unveiled by the government this week, includes funding for solar panels, batteries, and heat pumps – all of which can be effective ways to reduce energy costs.
However, many campaigners are worried that the emphasis on these green technologies will overshadow insulation measures, which have been shown to be some of the most effective ways to cut energy bills. In fact, a recent review into the UK's energy company obligation (Eco) scheme found that thousands of households were hit with huge repair bills after botched insulation work caused mould and damp problems.
The Eco scheme was widely criticized by MPs in its final years before being scrapped, and many experts have warned of the sector's "stop-start" nature. Insulation was championed by former Prime Minister David Cameron but was subsequently dropped from government support, leading to a sharp decline in installations.
Now, with Labour poised to bring back a similar scheme, there is concern that the industry will be left reeling once again. The sector has already lost tens of thousands of jobs, and experts are warning that any meaningful progress on tackling fuel poverty and driving down energy bills will require certainty and security – something that the government's latest plan seems to be lacking.
"We need a long-term approach," said Sarah Kostense-Winterton, chair of the Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Group. "The sector has made about 7,000 roles redundant in the past three months alone. We can't afford another downturn like this."
As it stands, little is known about how much of the £15 billion will go towards insulation – a fact that has left many experts and campaigners feeling frustrated. While some may argue that focusing on solar panels and heat pumps could yield faster results than insulation, others are warning of the dangers of " cowboy construction" and mishandling of green technologies.
"It's a ticking time bomb," said Anna Moore, chief executive and founder of Domna, a retrofit company. "The most common problems with poorly fitted insulation show up as damp, condensation, and mould – all of which can be hard to tell unless you know what you're looking for."
With the government facing mounting criticism over its handling of the Eco scheme, it's clear that ensuring quality and preventing costly mistakes will be a major challenge in implementing this new plan. As one Whitehall source put it: "We need to lean in" – but how will they ensure that consumers are protected from the pitfalls of the industry?
However, many campaigners are worried that the emphasis on these green technologies will overshadow insulation measures, which have been shown to be some of the most effective ways to cut energy bills. In fact, a recent review into the UK's energy company obligation (Eco) scheme found that thousands of households were hit with huge repair bills after botched insulation work caused mould and damp problems.
The Eco scheme was widely criticized by MPs in its final years before being scrapped, and many experts have warned of the sector's "stop-start" nature. Insulation was championed by former Prime Minister David Cameron but was subsequently dropped from government support, leading to a sharp decline in installations.
Now, with Labour poised to bring back a similar scheme, there is concern that the industry will be left reeling once again. The sector has already lost tens of thousands of jobs, and experts are warning that any meaningful progress on tackling fuel poverty and driving down energy bills will require certainty and security – something that the government's latest plan seems to be lacking.
"We need a long-term approach," said Sarah Kostense-Winterton, chair of the Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Group. "The sector has made about 7,000 roles redundant in the past three months alone. We can't afford another downturn like this."
As it stands, little is known about how much of the £15 billion will go towards insulation – a fact that has left many experts and campaigners feeling frustrated. While some may argue that focusing on solar panels and heat pumps could yield faster results than insulation, others are warning of the dangers of " cowboy construction" and mishandling of green technologies.
"It's a ticking time bomb," said Anna Moore, chief executive and founder of Domna, a retrofit company. "The most common problems with poorly fitted insulation show up as damp, condensation, and mould – all of which can be hard to tell unless you know what you're looking for."
With the government facing mounting criticism over its handling of the Eco scheme, it's clear that ensuring quality and preventing costly mistakes will be a major challenge in implementing this new plan. As one Whitehall source put it: "We need to lean in" – but how will they ensure that consumers are protected from the pitfalls of the industry?
. All these green techs can be great, but if we don't address the root cause (bad insulation), it's all just gonna be a bunch of fancy nonsense that costs households more in the end. We need to make sure we're not repeating the same mistakes as before and that the industry is stable enough for people to trust. It's all about long-term thinking, you feel? 
. I'm all for reducing carbon emissions, but not if it means households end up shelling out even more cash 
. The sector has already taken a hit with job losses and re-duntings – the last thing they need is another round of uncertainty 
. We need a long-term approach that prioritizes quality over quick fixes 
. Can't we just get this sorted? 
It's just that we need a bit more clarity on how much of that £15 billion will actually go towards insulation... 
, you know? Insulation's been around for ages and it's still the best way to save people cash on their energy bills. Why make a big fuss over solar panels and heat pumps when you can just give people some decent loft insulation? 
It's like my auntie always says: "A penny saved is a penny earned"... or in this case, a penny saved is a penny not spent on your energy bill 
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. Now, we're seeing experts warning about "cowboy construction" and mishandling of green technologies 
. It's like they're playing a high-risk game without a safety net 
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, this whole situation is so messed up 
The thing that's really worrying me right now is that the government is being super secretive about how much of that money will go towards insulation 
. I mean, come on, we're talking about tackling fuel poverty and driving down energy bills here, but it sounds like they're just winging it 
. The whole industry has already been decimated by previous failed schemes, so it's hard to trust them right now 
. What if they end up doing the same thing again? 
We need a long-term approach, not some stop-start scheme that just leaves everyone reeling 
. I'm getting sick of these vague promises and lack of transparency 
. We need a long-term approach, not just some short-sighted plan to placate everyone 
. The sector has already lost so many jobs, and if we don't get it right this time, I'm worried we'll end up with another mess on our hands 
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. The government needs to get it together and ensure that consumers are protected from these cowboy construction jobs, otherwise we're just setting ourselves up for more problems 
. I think we need a long-term approach here, not just some quick fix 
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who are struggling to make ends meet.
I don't think anyone is expecting miracles overnight but we need a long-term plan that prioritizes quality over quantity. Can we please get some transparency on how much of this funding will actually go to insulation? It feels like the government's lost its way here 
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It's amazing how much more effective those are compared to these new-fangled solar panels and heat pumps. We need a plan that actually helps people save cash on their energy bills, not just some pie-in-the-sky idea of "reducing carbon emissions". 
. Thousands of households were messed over by the Eco scheme's botched insulation work - can we really trust this new plan will be any better? 
And what about all those jobs lost in the sector already? 
We need some real, long-term solutions here... not just a bunch of flashy tech fixes 