Plans to support tens of thousands of green jobs with a package
of measures worth over £3 billion are set to be unveiled by the
Chancellor on Wednesday, as part of a drive to power up the
nation’s workforce and protect the environment.
is set to announce green
schemes that will help to create thousands of jobs in
industries such as construction as part of the Government’s
‘New Deal’ to build jobs and help to kickstart the economy
following the pandemic – building it back greener.
This is expected to include a transformative £1 billion
programme to make public buildings, including schools and
hospitals, across the UK greener, helping the country meet its
ambitions of achieving Net Zero by 2050, whilst investing in
our future prosperity.
This is alongside the £5bn investment plan announced by the
Prime Minister in last week’s ‘New Deal’ speech to maintain
vital public infrastructure, which will see new school
buildings and upgrading public sector property, like hospitals.
will also unveil £50m to
pilot innovative approaches to retrofitting social housing at
scale to make them greener, through measures like heat pumps,
insulation and double glazing, which will support landlords to
improve the least energy efficient social rented homes in
England.
Social housing tenants are more likely to report that they
struggle to meet their fuel costs. This move will mean warmer
homes and could lower annual energy bills by an average of
£200 for some of these poorest households, as well as
lower carbon emissions.
Heating buildings accounts for almost a fifth of UK greenhouse
gas emissions, and this decarbonisation programme will be
crucial in moving the country closer to reaching Net Zero.
Ensuring the country’s economic recovery is as green as
possible, up to 5,000 new jobs will also be backed
through a £40m scheme, the Green Jobs Challenge Fund, to
support environmental charities and local authorities to work
on projects to improve England’s treasured landscapes, such as
planting trees, cleaning up rivers, and creating new green
spaces for people and wildlife.
This is part of the Prime Minister’s pledge to safeguard the
UK’s natural carbon stores and wildlife habitats – our meadows,
rivers, and local green spaces –protecting precious
biodiversity, and connecting people with nature.
More details of the package will be announced at the Summer
Economic Update on Wednesday.
