ยฃ15 billion plan to cut bills must deliver for those left in the cold | Politics | News
After years of missed targets, botched schemes and broken promises on energy efficiency, ministers are once again promising action.
The new ยฃ15 billion Warm Homes Plan is billed as the biggest investment of its kind in British history, but it will only succeed if it avoids the mistakes of the past and puts people, not just technology, at the heart of the programme.
The plan could be a game changer as it promises vital upgrades like insulation, solar panels and heat pumps to bring down energy costs permanently. For families stuck in cold, damp homes, these measures could be life-saving – improving health, cutting NHS costs and slashing bills for good.
The most important test of this plan is whether it truly prioritises the households in fuel poverty. That means those with high energy costs, people suffering in poor-quality homes and those facing the worst health risks from cold and damp, such as the elderly.
But warm words are not enough. Every penny of public money must come with safeguards.
Thatโs why weโre calling for a Warm Homes Guarantee: quality advice on the right installations, strong consumer protections, and a clear promise that energy bills will go down once work is done, not just that new tech is installed.
People also need support while they wait for upgrades. That means reforming electricity pricing, fixing unfair standing charges and strengthening schemes like Cold Weather Payments, Warm Home Discounts and Winter Fuel Payments.
The Warm Homes Plan could be the breakthrough weโve waited a decades for, but only if itโs delivered with care, urgency and credibility. Ministers must now win over hearts and minds, especially among those whoโve been let down before. That means listening to voters and communities, empowering councils, supporting local installers and making it easy for people to say yes to change.
Because in the end, success wonโt be measured in funding headlines, itโll be judged by whether people feel warmer, safer, and better off.
Simon Francis is coordinator at the End Fuel Poverty Coalition
