Under new government plans recently published in the UK by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, it will soon be the case that home energy improvements will now only be carried out by trusted tradesmen.
Who will be helped by these new plans?
The brand new scheme, called ‘TrustMark’ will see over 300,000 low-income households each year be protected and supported across the country, which is under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). The hope is that this new energy efficiency scheme will increase the level of protection that is currently offered to those on low-income or other kinds of vulnerable households.
How much is being invested into the scheme?
The government intends to invest over £3.6 billion into the scheme, to help upgrade peoples’ homes in order to help reduce carbon emissions. The scheme will help the most vulnerable in society to become more energy-efficient, by helping to install energy-saving boilers and insulation through trusted tradesmen. This will help those on low income to save considerable money on their monthly bills, whilst also helping to increase energy efficiency across the UK.
It is worth noting that the energy efficiency industry is booming: at this current time, the sector is thought to be worth around £20.3 billion in Great Britain. Furthermore, exports in this field are thought to be worth £1 billion per year, and the sector also employs nearly 150,000 people in total.
Why has the government implemented this scheme?
This recently announced news links to the UK’s commitment to becoming a net-zero emissions economy in the future.
The UK has announced that it will be putting into law that Britain will become a net-zero greenhouse gas emission economy by 2050. That makes the UK the very first G7 economy to make this kind of commitment into law.
At this point in time in the UK, it is estimated that around 15% of households take some sort of energy efficiency measure in their homes every year. Approximately one million are installing replacement loft insulation or adding insulation to their homes, and more than one million have upgraded to double glazed windows.
How can people search for trusted tradesmen?
The government will be introduced an ‘Each Home Counts’ quality mark across the UK. This will be implemented to help reassure households that any energy efficiency measures that are being carried out on the properties are being done by firms who have been known to meet the appropriate standards for setting up and installing new central heating systems and insulation in houses.
Furthermore, people will also have the ability to check the TrustMark website to look for certified and trusted tradesman, meaning they can check their installers are registered and recognised online prior to hiring them to work on their homes.
It is worth highlighting that it is already possible for customers to get access to free and impartial advice on reducing their energy bills, regardless of their income. People who are interested in taking energy efficiency measures, such as in their loft conversion, whether it be making green home improvements or making your home warmer by looking at Simply Energy Advice.
