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| Home insulation: how can it cut energy bills? | |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Campaigners and opposition politicians have expressed frustration that the government's new energy strategy contains no new measures to encourage better insulation. | Campaigners and opposition politicians have expressed frustration that the government's new energy strategy contains no new measures to encourage better insulation. |
| After months of soaring gas prices, energy bills rose further for many in the UK when the energy cap increased on 1 April. | After months of soaring gas prices, energy bills rose further for many in the UK when the energy cap increased on 1 April. |
| Households in properties with poor insulation could be the worst hit, spending up to £246 a year more on their gas bills, according to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. | Households in properties with poor insulation could be the worst hit, spending up to £246 a year more on their gas bills, according to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. |
| UK plans eight new nuclear reactors to boost energy | UK plans eight new nuclear reactors to boost energy |
| Will the UK's energy strategy work? | Will the UK's energy strategy work? |
| How high could my energy bills go? | How high could my energy bills go? |
| What is insulation and how can it cut bills? | What is insulation and how can it cut bills? |
| Home insulation is the process of trapping heat inside a property, usually by covering areas exposed to the outside, such as roofs, floors and walls. | Home insulation is the process of trapping heat inside a property, usually by covering areas exposed to the outside, such as roofs, floors and walls. |
| Without it, indoor temperatures can be hard to maintain, with homes losing up to 45% of their heat, according to the Energy Savings Trust. | Without it, indoor temperatures can be hard to maintain, with homes losing up to 45% of their heat, according to the Energy Savings Trust. |
| The Energy Performance Certificate that comes with the sale or renting of a property will show how efficient it is. | The Energy Performance Certificate that comes with the sale or renting of a property will show how efficient it is. |
| But if the temperature drops very quickly after the heating is switched off, the home is unlikely to be properly insulated. | But if the temperature drops very quickly after the heating is switched off, the home is unlikely to be properly insulated. |
| And insulation can ensure the heating uses no unnecessary energy. | And insulation can ensure the heating uses no unnecessary energy. |
| Wall insulation traps air between its fibres to hold the heat for longer | Wall insulation traps air between its fibres to hold the heat for longer |
| What type of insulation is needed? | What type of insulation is needed? |
| The main types, depending on the property, are: | The main types, depending on the property, are: |
| loft/roof insulation | loft/roof insulation |
| cavity-wall insulation | cavity-wall insulation |
| solid-wall insulation | solid-wall insulation |
| floor insulation | floor insulation |
| draught-proofing | draught-proofing |
| Most heat is lost through the roof, so it should be insulated as a priority - and about two-thirds of homes have loft insulation. | Most heat is lost through the roof, so it should be insulated as a priority - and about two-thirds of homes have loft insulation. |
| Heat is also lost through walls. However, many properties have a cavity-wall structure - a gap between the inner and outer walls - where insulation can be inserted. | Heat is also lost through walls. However, many properties have a cavity-wall structure - a gap between the inner and outer walls - where insulation can be inserted. |
| Solid-wall properties, however, about 31% of the homes in the UK, need insulation on the outside. | Solid-wall properties, however, about 31% of the homes in the UK, need insulation on the outside. |
| And, according to 2017 figures, only about 12.3% of them have it. | And, according to 2017 figures, only about 12.3% of them have it. |
| How much will it cost and what help is available? | How much will it cost and what help is available? |
| The cost of insulation depends on the type needed, and the size and age of the property. | The cost of insulation depends on the type needed, and the size and age of the property. |
| In a typical semi-detached house, cavity-wall and loft insulation would cost £750 in total. | In a typical semi-detached house, cavity-wall and loft insulation would cost £750 in total. |
| The payback period - the time it takes to recover the costs - is 10 years for cavity-wall and two for loft insulation. | The payback period - the time it takes to recover the costs - is 10 years for cavity-wall and two for loft insulation. |
| Floor and solid-wall insulation, however, can take up to 30 years to pay off. | Floor and solid-wall insulation, however, can take up to 30 years to pay off. |
| But all four UK nations provide support for installation to low-income households: | But all four UK nations provide support for installation to low-income households: |
| The Home Upgrade Grant, managed by local authorities, offers funding for cavity-wall and loft insulation and draught-proofing | The Home Upgrade Grant, managed by local authorities, offers funding for cavity-wall and loft insulation and draught-proofing |
| The Energy Company Obligation requires suppliers to support low-income households with improvements to their home | The Energy Company Obligation requires suppliers to support low-income households with improvements to their home |
| For higher earners, the situation is a little more confused, however. | For higher earners, the situation is a little more confused, however. |
| The Green Homes Grant has been scrapped, and the government has not announced when it will be replaced. | The Green Homes Grant has been scrapped, and the government has not announced when it will be replaced. |
| Campaigners hoped the UK government's new energy strategy would include specific measures to encourage more and better insulation. | Campaigners hoped the UK government's new energy strategy would include specific measures to encourage more and better insulation. |
| Former Ofgem boss Dermot Nolan said the lack of focus on energy efficiency and insulation was "an opportunity missed". | Former Ofgem boss Dermot Nolan said the lack of focus on energy efficiency and insulation was "an opportunity missed". |
| Green party co-leader Adrian Ramsay also criticised the approach, saying: "A mass insulation programme would see bills reduced dramatically, and ensure people had warm, comfortable homes, while also tackling the climate crisis and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels altogether." | Green party co-leader Adrian Ramsay also criticised the approach, saying: "A mass insulation programme would see bills reduced dramatically, and ensure people had warm, comfortable homes, while also tackling the climate crisis and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels altogether." |
| Why are UK homes poorly insulated? | Why are UK homes poorly insulated? |
| The UK has some of the least energy-efficient and leakiest housing in Europe - because of the old age of much of the housing stock. | The UK has some of the least energy-efficient and leakiest housing in Europe - because of the old age of much of the housing stock. |
| In 2020, the UK had 29.3 million domestic properties, 36% built before World War Two. | In 2020, the UK had 29.3 million domestic properties, 36% built before World War Two. |
| But even newer homes often lack basic insulation - only one out of every four UK homes has draught-proofing. | But even newer homes often lack basic insulation - only one out of every four UK homes has draught-proofing. |
| Two-thirds of UK homes 'fail on energy targets' | Two-thirds of UK homes 'fail on energy targets' |
| Older housing stock is least likely to be properly insulated | Older housing stock is least likely to be properly insulated |
| What about tenants? | What about tenants? |
| About 35% of properties in the UK are either social housing or privately rented - and these are likely to be the least efficient, according to the Energy Savings Trust. | About 35% of properties in the UK are either social housing or privately rented - and these are likely to be the least efficient, according to the Energy Savings Trust. |
| But local authorities can improve their housing stock through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. | But local authorities can improve their housing stock through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. |
| And while tenants in privately rented accommodation can take only limited action, landlords can be fined up to £5,000 for renting properties with an Energy Performance Certificate rating below E, and, by 2028, C. | And while tenants in privately rented accommodation can take only limited action, landlords can be fined up to £5,000 for renting properties with an Energy Performance Certificate rating below E, and, by 2028, C. |