Our response to Public Accounts Committee Inquiry into Household Energy Efficiency Schemes

In 2013, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) launched two complementary schemes—the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO)—to improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s housing stock. ECO obligates energy suppliers to install efficiency measures, such as loft or wall insulation, with the cost passed on to energy bill payers.

Through the Green Deal, homeowners funded installations by taking out loans, which they repaid through their energy bills. The Department of Energy and Climate Change made the decision in July 2015 to not invest further public funds in Green Deal loans.

The National Audit Office (NAO) examined what the schemes have achieved, and at what cost, the design and implementation of the schemes and whether DECC is learning lessons to feed into future energy efficiency schemes. The Public Accounts Committee have followed this up with an inquiry, to which we have provided a concise response.