Friday 3 September 2021

Energy Action Scotland response to BEIS ECO 4 Consultation

 

Summary of our Response

Alongside other key programmes, the GB wide Energy Company Obligation (ECO) has a significant positive impact on making energy more affordable for households that are struggling to pay their bills. Since ECO began in January 2013 it has contributed to the installation of more than 1.5 million measures, saving low-income households more than £16bn, over the lifetime of the measures, on their energy bills.

Energy Action Scotland fully supports and welcomes the consultations critical focus of the ECO programme on low income and vulnerable households and greater support for deeper retrofits for the least energy efficient homes, requiring homes to meet significantly higher energy efficiency standards. There are however some vital areas where we have proposals to improve the scheme further. We hope that BEIS will consider our proposals in the following key areas:

  1. Explicit prohibition of household contribution requirements
  2. Set an adequate solid wall minimum
  3. Ensure homes off the gas grid receive appropriate support  
  4. Reduce a gap in provision for advice
  5. Reduce the risk of a downturn in energy efficiency installations

 Read our full response here

Monday 23 August 2021

Energy Action Scotland response to BEIS Warm Home Discount Scheme 2022-26 Consultation

 

Energy Action Scotland’s response focuses primarily on those areas that it considers may impact most on fuel poor and vulnerable consumers. Energy Action Scotland is not a health organisation, but we are concerned about the health impacts of living in fuel poverty and that respiratory conditions which are exacerbated by living in a cold, damp home make up a high proportion of Scotland’s excess winter deaths, which are linked to living in fuel poverty.

We provide practical support through several Warm Home Discount (WHD) industry initiatives working closely with 2-3 suppliers each year. In Scheme Year 9, we managed 3 projects across 2 suppliers and supported a fourth project in partnership with National Energy Action.