HPA Response to HoL Committee Recommendations

Today, the House of Lord’s Environment and Climate Change Committee has published its conclusion to a review into the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), finding that the scheme is failing to deliver on its key objectives. The review also found that policy framework, public communications, and householder advice is needed to improve awareness and interest in low carbon heating systems.

We welcome the Committee’s findings and recommendations to drive uptake of the scheme, especially in relation to the need for greater clarity and clearer policy including a firm date for the phase out of fossil fuel boilers. Whilst the scheme has enabled some households to access low carbon heating, we agree that a review is required to deliver confidence to the heat pump industry, kickstart the growth of the UK heat pump installer base and help us achieve the government target for 2028.

Our submission to the Committee helped to inform a number of their key recommendations.

We are particularly pleased to see recommendations to increase grant levels to cover the up-front costs of heat pump technology. Better promotion of available help and independent advice for homeowners will further begin to encourage uptake of the scheme and help to educate consumers on the benefits of heat pump technology. We are equally concerned that at the current rate only a fraction of the budget will be deployed and welcome the call for budget for this year to be rolled into the next to compensate for the slow start to the scheme. The HPA also supports directing funding to installer upskilling and training to get more installers into the ecosystem and increasing their availability.

“It is no secret that the Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is stalling. The lack of an installer portal at launch and consumer awareness of the scheme has contributed to this. The Environment and Climate Change Committee is right to recognise this and it is great to see recognition of what is needed to increase interest in the scheme and to accelerate the rollout of heat pump technology in the UK more broadly.”
Phil Hurley

HPA Chair

Notes to Editors:

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