Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will consider providing a rural top-slice from the money made available under the Warm Homes Plan to fund a programme of dedicated research and pilot projects to identify and understand the specific barriers to decarbonisation that rural off-grid households face.

The Government recognises the particular challenges that some rural and off-gas-grid households face in decarbonising their homes. Through the Warm Homes Plan, we will put communities at the centre of delivery, devolving funding so regional and local government accelerate home and building upgrades according to their needs.

For off-grid homes in particular, the Government recently increased the grant amount available for heat pump installations through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to £9,000 for homes heated by oil or LPG, in direct response to the situation in the Middle East.

It’s worth noting that heat pumps work well across different property types and there is already strong uptake in rural areas, with 50% of grants awarded to rural properties and 39% to homes off the gas grid.

The Government does however recognise the particular challenges, and we are currently undertaking specific research to improve understanding of the costs and practicalities of decarbonising more complex housing archetypes. Results will be available soon and will help inform future policy decisions.