Comment by Katrina Young, Practice Manager – Heat Policy & Local Energy, at Energy Systems Catapult.

We welcome today’s announcements of the first steps of the government’s Warm Homes Plan, especially the commitment to increase funding of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme next year and the removal of planning barriers to heat pump installation. This clarity is essential for planning, and it provides some much-needed stability for both households and the industry as we work toward reducing emissions and improving home energy standards.

Scrapping the requirement for heat pumps to be installed more than 1m from property boundaries in England and increasing the permitted size will be a boost to heat pump adoption. Many people start on the journey to upgrading their heating system but get put off by the lengthy waiting times of unnecessary planning applications. The changes will mean that placement of heat pumps will be considered on actual impacts such as noise, rather than arbitrary red tape. Including the oft-neglected air to air heat pumps in permitted development rules is a good step at supporting a wider range of technologies and finding the right solution for each home.

But it’s clear that simply extending funding isn’t enough to address the full challenge of home decarbonisation. Beyond the further funding that we will need to see in the Spring spending review, we need to see rapid progress on key enabling policies that will unlock a more efficient transition. This includes reforming Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to better reflect a home’s environmental impact, addressing the price imbalance – often called the ‘spark gap’ – between electricity and gas, implementing the Clean Heat Market Mechanism in a way that is inclusive and technology-neutral.

Targeted and strategic use of funds is also critical to making a real difference. Services such as Warm Home Prescription® show us that thoughtful approaches that prioritise people and places with the greatest need can maximise impact and help households facing the toughest energy costs. Just throwing money at home decarbonisation won’t cut it – without bold reforms and smarter policies, we’ll keep wasting resources while leaving households in the cold.