Nine in ten Labour MPs support insulation schemes despite government cuts

Polling conducted by YouGov for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), in coordination with Climate Barometer [3], has found that the principle of helping low-income families afford the costs of making green home improvements is supported by eight out of ten MPs (82%). A similar amount of MPs (85%) said they also supported investments and incentives to encourage homeowners and landlords to improve home insulation as a means of reducing the UK’s emissions and tackling climate change.  

The strength of feeling is especially strong on the Labour benches, with nine in ten Labour MPs supporting financial support for low-income families (91%) and incentives to improve insulation (90%). 

Dr Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire said:   

“A vital part of bringing down household bills is to reduce the energy that needs to be used in the first place. Schemes that help people insulate and upgrade their homes are widely supported because they are a win-win-win, delivering lower bills, creating skilled jobs in the sector, and cutting emissions. 

“Stripping back these schemes would be a false economy and a clear example of short-term headline-chasing, rather than long-term delivery. The government must instead listen to the swathe of voices advocating for these schemes, including the vast majority of their own MPs, and properly invest in and regulate these programmes so our country’s poorest and most vulnerable households aren’t left paying the price.” 

The survey also found that the British public support improving the energy efficiency of Britain’s housing stock, with over two-thirds of Britons (69%) saying they are in favour of improving home insulation and around two-thirds backing additional support for low-income families to afford “green” home upgrades (61%) [4].  

Alasdair Johnstone, Political and polling lead at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit said: 

“Many Labour MPs say that energy costs are one of the main issues their constituents contact them about. Whilst the announcement at the budget to move legacy policy costs off electricity bills will benefit all bill payers, scrapping the Energy Company Obligation means that the poorest will be unable to upgrade their homes, rather than having the support they need to ensure bills are lower for good.” 

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) has supported the installation of around 4.3 million energy efficiency measures in British homes since 2013 [5].  

Analysis carried out by the ECIU suggests that cuts to ECO are likely to disproportionately impact the homes of children with a health condition [6].