Comment: Government launches £1 billion insulation scheme

“Doing the basics of fitting insulation to homes is vital if we’re to bring down energy bills, cut the need to import gas and head towards energy independence. But with insulation rates at an all-time low thanks to cuts to government programmes for less well-off homes and months of delays to the launch of this scheme, it may be cold comfort for households facing another worrying winter.

“Gas bills are set to stay far above where they were before the gas crisis for the rest of the decade. It's two years since the gas crisis kicked off and whereas other countries have pushed harder on energy efficiency, heat pumps and renewables to cut costs and boost energy security, the UK has been distracted by arguments over North Sea oil and gas that won't cut bills.”

The extension of the Government’s ECO scheme was originally announced in November 2022 [2], with further details published in March this year [3].