Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of widening the eligibility criteria for the Warm Home Discount Scheme to include people in receipt of (a) Personal Independence Payment and (b) Disability Living Allowance, in the context of Scope's report entitled Disability Price Tag 2024: Living with the extra cost of disability, published in September 2024.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is currently focused to support those on lowest incomes who receive means-tested benefits and are living in a property we have estimated to be relatively high cost to heat. This winter’s scheme has been launched today, 14 October, and we expect it to support over three million households. We are exploring options to improve the design of the scheme beyond the current regulations which expire in 2026.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of a help to repay scheme for energy debt.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that consumer energy debt is a large and increasing issue, and it expects energy suppliers to do everything they can to support customers who are struggling with bills, especially vulnerable customers. It is important that anyone who is struggling to pay their energy bills contact their supplier.
In August, I met with suppliers and encouraged them to build on the Voluntary Debt Commitment from last year and go further in supporting vulnerable customers this winter.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing a discounted energy social tariff for disabled households, in the context of Scope's report entitled Disability Price Tag 2024: Living with the extra cost of disability, published in September 2024.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has no plans to introduce an energy social tariff this winter. However, we are committed to ensuring vulnerable households are supported with their energy bills and we are looking at all options on how to support these households.
The Government is continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills to over 3 million eligible low-income households. We are also working with energy suppliers to ensure they are providing additional support to vulnerable customers.
The Government has also extended the Household Support Fund for an additional 6 months until 31 March 2025 with an extra £500 million in funding, and I encourage any individual who is struggling to pay their bills contacts their local authority to see if they are eligible for this support.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to Scope's report entitled Disability Price Tag 2024: Living with the extra cost of disability, published in September 2024, what steps he is taking with providers to help ensure that utilities are affordable for disabled households.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government believes that the only way to permanently protect billpayers, including disabled households, is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy and reduce our reliance on volatile international fossil fuel markets.
Whilst we make this transition, the Government is committed to ensuring vulnerable households are supported with their energy bills and we are looking at all options on how to support these households.
In the short-term, we are continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 annual rebate on energy bills for eligible low-income households. We are also working with energy suppliers to ensure they are providing additional support to vulnerable customers that are struggling with bills.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to tackle climate change.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The UK is the first major economy to halve its emissions – having cut them by around 53% between 1990 and 2023. We have the most ambitious 2030 emissions reduction target of any major economy.
The UK over-achieved against the first, second and third carbon budgets. Taken together, the policies set out in last year’s Carbon Budget Delivery Plan keep us on track for Carbon Budgets 4, 5 and 6, our 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution, and ultimately for net zero by 2050.
Renewables, which have increased from 7% in 2010 to nearly half of our electricity generation, will help ensure our energy security – providing homegrown energy, and reducing our exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. The UK is home to the five largest operational offshore wind farm projects in the world and no country has built more offshore wind than the UK bar China.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has plans to increase funding for the Home Upgrade Grant scheme.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) was a 2019 Conservative manifesto commitment of £2.5 billion for homes in fuel poverty living off the gas grid. To date, the Government has allocated £1.1 billion to the HUG as part of the 2020 and 2021 spending reviews which is being delivered from 2022 to March 2025. A further £6.05 billion was announced for Net Zero Buildings & Industry at the Autumn Statement in 2022 for the period 2025 to 2028. Allocation of this by His Majesty's Treasury to individual schemes will take place at future fiscal events.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent deaths attributable to living in cold homes.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Government expect over 3 million households to benefit this winter from the Warm Home Discount, which provides low-income and vulnerable households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate off their winter energy bill.
The Government considers energy efficiency improvements to be the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term, reducing energy bills and carbon emissions in line with net zero. Measures are available through several schemes including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, Great British Insulation Scheme and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4). ECO4 runs from 2022-2026 at a value of £4billion.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to tackle fuel poverty in Battersea constituency.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Sustainable Warmth Strategy details its approach to tackling fuel poverty in England. The Government is currently reviewing this strategy.
The Government considers energy efficiency improvements to be the best way to tackle fuel poverty long term. Energy efficiency measures are available through schemes including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) and the Great British Insulation Scheme. ECO4 runs from 2022-2026 at a value of £4billion.
The Government expect the Warm Home Discount scheme to provide over 3 million low-income and vulnerable households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate off their energy bill this winter.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that private rented homes meet the minimum standard of EPC C rating.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister announced on 20 September that landlords will not be required to improve the energy efficiency of their property beyond existing legal requirements (EPC Band E).
The Government is spending £6bn this Parliament and a further £6bn to 2028 on making buildings cleaner and warmer, in addition to £5bn to be delivered through the Energy Company Obligation and the Great British Insulation Scheme up to March 2026.
Last year, the Government introduced a zero-rate of VAT for five years on energy saving measures and low-carbon heating, making it cheaper for people to invest in their properties and reduce energy usage.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking with energy companies to support the installation of energy efficiency measures through ECO4 in Battersea constituency.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government sets the overall target and rules for the delivery of the Energy Company Obligation but does not direct where measures are installed; that is left to the obligated energy suppliers and their installers.