Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department for Health and Social Care on the potential effect on the reduction of cold-related illnesses from the installation of insulation in pensioners’ properties.

Officials in DHSC and BEIS have had discussions on these matters. We recognise the link between ill health and fuel poverty and we are aware of the benefits of insulating properties for all, including pensioner households.

Improving the energy efficiency of homes remains the most sustainable long-term solution to tackling fuel poverty, and therefore in reducing the impact of ill health exacerbated by cold homes.

The Energy Company Obligation is a GB wide energy efficiency scheme worth £640m per year until March 2022 and is focused on low-income and vulnerable households. Households with a resident in receipt of Pension Credit Guarantee Credit are eligible.

The Green Homes Grant, launched in September 2020, is a £2 billion programme which will help improve the energy efficiency of homes in England. Of this, around half is specifically for low income, vulnerable and fuel poor households, including those in receipt of Pension Credit Guarantee Credit. The Green Homes Grant consists of a voucher scheme and a Local Authority Delivery Scheme (LAD). The primary purpose of the LAD scheme is to raise the energy efficiency rating of low income and low EPC rated homes (those with D, E, F or G). Funding is available through LAD to support the retrofit of existing domestic dwellings for all tenure types.