Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

No estimates have been made on the delays of home insulation programmes since 2019. We know improving the energy efficiency of our homes is an important step in reducing fuel poverty.

There are several government energy efficiency schemes and households can access the government's home retrofit tool on GOV.UK (www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency), which allows users to get tailored recommendations for home improvements that could make their property cheaper to heat and keep warm.

This government’s ambitious Warm Homes Plan will transform homes across the country by making them cleaner and cheaper to run, from installing new insulation to rolling out solar and heat pumps. We will publish more details soon.

The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the energy bill is placed on standing charges. We are committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and are working constructively with Ofgem on this issue.

Ofgem have been working to ensure that domestic consumers, in the Scottish Highlands and across Great Britain, can choose tariffs with lower standing charges. You can read about this here:
Requirement to offer lower standing charge tariffs | Ofgem

Ofgem have also been reviewing how ‘fixed’ costs, which tend to be funded through standing charges, should be recovered in the future energy system. Through the Cost Allocation and Recovery Review (CARR), Ofgem will consider how options for allocating and recovering costs in a fairer and more efficient way. This includes considering whether ‘fixed’ costs should vary across regions or whether they should be standard across Great Britain.

The research under consideration was a social research project which used in-person home retrofit assessments to determine the suitability of a range of decarbonisation options in potentially complex to decarbonise properties.

Industry groups have not been directly consulted as part of this specific research project, as the focus was on delivering these bespoke assessments to householders of the potentially complex homes. Energy Saving Trust and consortium (leading the project) recruited independent PAS-certified energy assessors to conduct these assessments, as well as MCS qualified professionals to quality assure a small subset of these assessments.

Energy efficiency policy is devolved in Scotland. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has reporting responsibilities for England only.

Our Clean Energy Jobs Plan sets out how the number of jobs supported by clean energy industries is estimated to grow from around 440,000 jobs in 2023 to support 860,000 jobs across the UK by 2030.

In South-West England, the demand is estimated to reach up to 35,000 direct jobs by the end of the decade, which is an increase of up to 15,000 jobs.

This is driven by projects in the wider area, such as Hinkley Point C, which will have at least 25,000 jobs during construction, 900 jobs during operation, 1,000 apprenticeships, and adult training placements.

On 18 November, the Government published a consultation exploring the role of alternative clean heating solutions, including renewable liquid fuels (RLFs). The consultation, which will run for 12 weeks, seeks further evidence on the affordability and availability of RFLs. Findings from the consultation will be published in the government response in due course.

This Government is committed to ensuring drivers get a fair deal which is why we are implementing Fuel Finder as quickly as possible. Subject to parliamentary passage, we aim to launch Fuel Finder by the end of 2025.

In the meantime, a voluntary scheme is in place where fuel retailers are encouraged to share fuel prices until Fuel Finder gains a statutory footing. This is an important first step in increasing competitive pressure on retailers while legislation is finalised.

In addition, we have introduced statutory powers for the Competition and Markets Authority to monitor the market and identify the need further intervention

Fuel poverty statistics are based on the English Housing Survey which is collected annually. The department does not hold interim statistics or data on fuel poverty collected between English Housing Survey samples. The date for the next publication in 2026 will be pre-announced in line with the standards for official statistics.

The government’s Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan set out how the UK will reduce emissions and benefit from lower bills, skilled jobs, warmer homes and cleaner air. We are working across government on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan, which will be a major step forward to cut energy bills for good. Scaling up new clean energy industries will create opportunities to actively reduce inequalities and create good jobs. We will continue to invest in clean low-cost energy. Our approach to the transition is built on fairness, ensuring everyone reaps the benefits and that no one is left behind.

Since 1 April 2024, under the price cap, Ofgem has levelised standing charges for prepayment meter and direct debit customers and implemented a process of cost reconciliation for suppliers. This reduces the standing charges of consumers with prepayment meters, while each direct debit consumer pays more than they would have otherwise done.

This ends the inequity of people with prepayment meters, many of whom are vulnerable, being charged more up-front for their energy than other consumers. The Government knows too much of the burden of the energy bill is placed on standing charges. We are working with Ofgem to address this.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is currently reviewing our approach to affordability metrics, following the consultation published earlier this year on the review of the fuel poverty strategy. We will provide further updates in our upcoming fuel poverty strategy.

As issues of energy efficiency are devolved, Scotland has specific Net Zero strategies. We work closely with our counterparts in the Devolved Governments to ensure our strategies align.

Consumers can visit Home Energy Scotland for advice on home upgrades and information about the Scottish Government funded Warmer Homes Scotland programme which provides grants and support. A phoneline service is available on 0808 808 2282.

Rural off-gas-grid properties in Scotland receive a 35% uplift incentivising delivery in harder to reach areas and reflecting additional energy costs.

Between Jan 2013 and June 2025, the Highlands (Local Authority) received 15,874 measures under the ECO scheme, and 9,242 via ECO Flex between April 2017 and June 2025.

The Government is working on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan for households, including those in Bradford, to cut energy bills for good and will publish more details soon.

The Government and Prime Minister is fully committed to delivering clean power by 2030. Last December, we published the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which provides the foundation for the UK to build an energy system that can bring down bills for households and businesses for good, and protect them against future price shocks. For example, NESO modelling showed that if gas use for power generation remained at the levels of 2023 and gas prices were raised to the peak levels in 2022 (300 p/therm on average), this would add around £12 billion to annual electricity system costs in Great Britain. In the clean power pathways, a similar price shock would only add around £5 billion.

Since July 2024, over £52 billion of private investment has already been announced into the UK’s clean energy industries for projects and plans over the coming years.

Recent projects supported by Government include two district heat networks in West Yorkshire which have received funding from the Local Net Zero Accelerator programme, Hydrogen Allocation Round 1 benefitting projects like the Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen project and GBE placing solar panels on NHS sites in Bradford and beyond.

As part of the Industrial Strategy, the Government is committed to devolving significant powers to Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) across England, giving them the tools they need to grow their sectoral clusters and improve the local business environment.

Local Growth Plans are a cornerstone of the place-based approach. These locally owned, 10-year strategies will set out how MCAs will use their devolved powers and funding to drive growth in their region.

(a) Defra publishes statistics each year on the UK’s carbon footprint, including greenhouse gas emissions in the supply chains of goods and services used by UK residents. These data are also available for England only. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uks-carbon-footprint

(b) In June the government consulted on a framework of policies to build the market for low-carbon industrial products, alongside the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan. The policies aim to deliver the guidance, tools, and levers to enable buyers to make informed choices through better information on the carbon content of industrial goods, with an initial focus on the steel, cement, and concrete sectors.

The UNFCCC Secretariat, its Presiding officers, and the annually nominated COP Presidency are jointly responsible for upholding the standards that govern participation at COP meetings, relating to impartiality and transparency.

The UK continues to champion a transparent, inclusive, and effective UNFCCC process that supports enhanced ambition and strengthened implementation of the Paris Agreement and COP outcomes.

The Government is hugely ambitious about the role that local energy will play in achieving our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

The Department – with Great British Energy – are looking at the issue of local supply and the options available.

In parallel, Elexon have been progressing the P441 code modification through a series of workgroup roundtables and have recently concluded a consultation to gather wider sector responses on proposed P441 changes. These changes if supported would clarify and simplify balancing and settlement arrangements for complex metering sites, such as those likely to be used by many community energy schemes.

The Government will continue to monitor these developments closely and will publish the Local Power Plan in due course.

The Department does not hold this information.

Several small firms based across the UK are involved in assembling conventional solar panels at a small scale as well as more innovative, building-integrated roof slates, and thin film technology that can also suit structurally lighter roofs. Several other firms also produce mounting structures and composite electrical equipment for ground-mounted and rooftop solar installations.

The Department will receive independently verified sales data after the conclusion of the first scheme year, in summer 2026, and data on the full compliance cycle for that scheme year in late 2026.

The government is continuing to assess the options for publishing certain Clean Heat Market Mechanism scheme data, for instance aggregate verified annual data, taking into account the commercial sensitivities of different approaches.

Developers of standalone grid-scale batteries must seek planning approval as outlined in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. This requires local planning authorities to undertake a formal period of public consultation for at least 21 days. Those living near to the proposed site may offer views or detailed information relevant to the application, including on safety measures.

Planning Practice Guidance recommends that developers should also engage with local fire services ahead of submitting their planning application.

The government is clear that it wants any future requirements to be proportionate and that the focus will be on economically significant entities where there is likely a significant investor and public interest. As a result, small to medium-sized companies are not envisaged as being within the scope of any future requirements set by the government. The FCA has independent decision-making powers for companies in scope of any future transition plan requirements they set.

The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.

The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.

The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.

The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements from June to September 2025 which has now closed. The consultation included questions on the impact of transition plan disclosure, implementation options and interaction with UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.

The National Policy Statements for energy set out that each offshore wind planning application must satisfy a number of grounds before it can go ahead. These include how the developer is avoiding, mitigating and compensating for impacts on the natural environment, as well as how any mitigation and compensation will be delivered. Information on individual planning applications can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

The Government has committed to delivering the Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package, which will help accelerate offshore wind delivery while continuing to protect the marine environment.

Ground mount solar is one of the cheapest and fastest technologies to deploy, and will be crucial if we are to achieve our mission to deliver clean power by 2030. The Clean Power Action Plan calls for 45-47GW of solar capacity in 2030, up from around 20GW today.

Decisions over the sizing of projects are left to developers. However, we expect large-scale solar farms to provide a substantial portion of the extra capacity needed by 2030, alongside rooftop solar.

The Government is working on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan for households to cut energy bills for good and will publish more details soon.

On 18 November, the Government published the response to the recent consultation, which closed on 11 June. This provides detail on amendments to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which will be implemented from next year.

These changes are designed to increase access, stimulate further demand, and enhance existing consumer protections, making low carbon heating technologies more accessible to a wider range of property owners and small businesses.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme currently offers grants of £7,500 for hydronic heat pumps only – air and ground source.

On 18 November, the Government published the response to the consultation, which closed on 11 June, on proposed amendments to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

The Government will begin to provide grants with a value of £2,500, to support the installation of air-to-air heat pumps in domestic properties from next year.

The electricity system benefits from a diverse energy mix, with the Capacity Market ensuring supply meets demand.

The Government is committed to ensuring electricity networks can meet rising electricity demand, including from data centres. The Capacity Market ensures supply meets demand. It operates by securing most of the required capacity four years in advance, with additional capacity secured one year ahead based on updated forecasts. This approach ensures Great Britain meets the Reliability Standard, which balances cost and reliability to maintain adequate electricity security.

As a part of the AI Growth Zones programme, the government will encourage data centres to locate in areas where their energy demand reduces the strain on the system by utilising excess renewable energy generation (such as Scotland, Cumbria and the North East). The design of this policy is ongoing and will soon go out to consultation.

Cost controls will be incorporated, to minimise the risk of any gap between price support and constraint costs appearing on consumer bills.

We work closely with Ofgem on monitoring environmental regulations and forestry practices in areas where biomass is sourced to ensure the sustainability of the feedstock coming to the UK.

In October 2023 Drax adopted a policy of not sourcing material directly from old growth areas in British Columbia for Drax Power Station in Selby. As a result of Ofgem’s investigation, Drax are currently conducting a global review of their supply chain through an independent auditor. We will carefully consider the results of this audit.

From 2027 onwards, the new Low Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference strengthens sustainability requirements by ensuring no subsidy is paid for electricity generated from primary material harvested from primary forest or old growth areas.

The Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) regime streamlines planning for major projects, making processes faster and fairer for developers and communities. Large-scale infrastructure is vital for secure, reliable, and affordable energy while meeting decarbonisation targets. Biomethane supports these goals as a low-carbon, domestically produced energy source. The Department is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and other stakeholders to identify the best ways to enable deployment of larger anaerobic digestion and biomethane plants, including assessing whether NSIP designation is the most effective approach to remove barriers and accelerate delivery toward achieving the UK’s net zero targets.

Biomethane production is supported by the Green Gas Support Scheme, which is open to applications until March 2028. Following the February 2024 call for evidence, the Government intends to consult on a future policy framework consultation this financial year.

The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) applies a zero emissions factor to biomethane combustion where supplied directly to ETS installations. Where injected into the gas grid, there is not currently a mechanism to ensure biomethane is accounted for separately.

The Department is considering feedback on the impacts of this to inform next steps and will provide an update in due course.

The Local Power Plan will be a joint plan between GBE and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero which will outline our shared vision for the local and community energy sector: to drive the growth of renewable energy projects and support efforts to unlock cleaner, cheaper and more resilient power at the community level.

We are continuing to develop the Local Power Plan with GBE and updates will be provided soon.

Great British Energy will enhance existing support to community energy by partnering with and providing funding and support to Local Government, and community energy groups as well as working with Devolved Governments. This will help to roll out local and community renewable energy projects across the UK.

Great British Energy will also provide commercial, technical and project planning assistance, increasing capability and capacity to build a pipeline of successful projects in local areas.

Cavity wall insulation (CWI) is one of the most cost-effective means of improving energy efficiency in people’s homes when installed in suitable homes and supported by appropriate installation standards and guarantees. However, the Government is aware that there are instances where issues have arisen in some homes which may be attributed to a CWI installation.

For installations under previous government schemes, guidance is available on the Government’s website for consumers who suspect they may have faulty CWI installed in their home, outlining routes to redress under these circumstances at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cavity-wall-insulation-cwi-consumer-guide-to-issues-arising-from-installations.

DESNZ is committed to looking after the welfare of our staff.

(a) We have Domestic Abuse guidance in place to support staff

(b) We have Domestic Abuse guidance in place to support managers. We also promote Cross-Government Domestic Abuse awareness training.

The United States is Britain’s closest ally. Our two countries have a long, deep history of close cooperation. This is demonstrated by the Technology Prosperity Deal signed by the Prime Minister and the President during his recent State Visit, which included ambitious civil nuclear collaboration.

The United States are also a key UK partner in Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, as the world leader in deployment and current capacity, on which we each engage multilaterally within the Carbon Management Challenge and the Clean Energy Ministerial CCUS Initiative.

To achieve net zero at lowest cost, we are accelerating low-carbon technologies, including geothermal. Water from coal mines and sewer systems offers strong potential for heat networks. Projects can apply to the Green Heat Network Fund for support. DESNZ promotes sewer heat recovery as a reliable urban heat source, given its stable temperatures and alignment with demand. To ensure sustainable deployment, DESNZ issued Exclusion Zone Guidance to protect sewer thermal integrity and avoid conflicts between abstraction points, giving developers and water companies confidence in performance and investment. The Mining Remediation Authority has also published opportunity maps.

Ofgem, as the independent regulator, is responsible for ensuring good consumer outcomes, including accurate billing by energy companies. The government committed in its manifesto to strengthen the regulator to require higher standards of performance and ensure there is automatic customer compensation for failures.

On 10 November Ofgem published plans to overhaul customer service standards, including a review of its Guaranteed Standards of Performance. These set minimum standards of performance that all suppliers must meet for specific services. If they fail to do so, they must pay £40 automatic compensation to affected consumers. In addition, the Government is consulting on reforms to the role and powers of the Energy Ombudsman to ensure that consumers have fairer, faster access to redress when things go wrong. This includes removing the barriers which prevent consumers from accessing the Ombudsman’s services, such as low levels of awareness and long waiting times.

The Government is reviewing the system of consumer protection and oversight for home retrofit installations. This work looks at the entire landscape: from how installers work in people’s homes to where homeowners turn for rapid action and enforcement if things go wrong. More information will be shared in the forthcoming Warm Homes Plan.

The Government is planning to consult on proposals for retrofit system reform early next year.

The Government currently supports anaerobic digestion (AD) through the Renewables Obligation (RO), Non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, Feed-in-Tariffs, and the Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS). The Government has no plans to extend the RO when it comes to an end from 2027 onwards. Since the RO was launched in 2002, the energy landscape has evolved, and the scheme no longer provides the correct market incentives or value for money for electricity generation.

For biomethane from AD, the Government expects to consult this financial year on a policy framework to follow the GGSS, which closes to applications in 2028.

Government is offering free inspections of all properties where external wall insulation was fitted under ECO4. The focus is on this measure as audits highlighted particular issues with external wall insulation under the scheme. Ofgem will contact every household with external wall insulation that has not yet been audited.

Remediation is already taking place to address substandard and unsafe work, and over half of the issues identified to date have been fixed. Trustmark, certification bodies and installation businesses are working hard to resolve these issues. They will be rectified at no cost to the consumer.