Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he has taken to incentivise off-gas homes to install modern condensing boilers.

The Government fully recognises that LPG and oil, like other fossil fuels, will continue to play a part in the UK's energy mix, but we must begin to revolutionise the way we heat our homes to make the transition to a low carbon economy. To this end, DECC has introduced the domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme to support renewable heating systems. The domestic RHI is targeted predominately at off gas-grid households, by compensating for the additional costs faced when replacing an oil boiler with a renewable heating system. New incentives for oil and LPG boilers would undermine the balance struck in the design of the RHI, and potentially cause confusion for consumers.

For more vulnerable customers, support for condensing boilers will remain available through the Energy Company Obligation. DECC has proposed changes that will strengthen the support for off-grid properties.