Energy Secretary will today (Monday) announce a plan to ensure warm
homes for all renters in his speech to Labour's annual
conference.
Over one million households are set to be lifted out of fuel
poverty, as the government announces plans for the biggest boost
to home energy standards in history.
This follows the Deputy Prime Minister announcing a raft of
measures on the first day of annual conference to ensure good
quality homes for all.
Today's announcement goes even further than Labour's manifesto
commitment to raising standards in the private rented sector,
with a pledge to do the same in the social rented sector.
Families across the country are continuing to grapple with the
consequences of high energy bills amid a cost-of-living crisis –
with too many tenants exposed to a harsh daily reality of cold,
draughty homes and expensive bills.
The Energy Secretary in his speech will pledge action to reverse
these failures of the past and stand with tenants, with a
commitment to consult by the end of the year on boosting minimum
energy efficiency standards for private and social rented homes
by 2030.
Ahead of his speech at Annual Conference, the Energy
Secretary said:
“We all know that the poorest people in our country often live in
cold, draughty homes. It is a Tory legacy. It is a Tory scandal.
It is a Tory outrage. This government will not tolerate this
injustice and we will end it.
“And because being Labour means we raise our sights to tackle
injustice, we will go further and faster than promised in our
manifesto: ensuring every rented home reaches decent standards of
energy efficiency.
“Warmer homes, lower bills, over one million people lifted out of
fuel poverty. That's the difference a Labour government
makes.”
Today's announcements kickstarts delivery of the Labour
government's Warm Homes Plan, which will transform homes across
the country by making them cleaner and cheaper to run, from
installing new insulation to rolling out solar on
rooftops.
This year's annual conference will see the Labour Party set out
how change has already begun to fix the foundations to rebuild
Britain. After 14 years of the Conservatives ducking difficult
decisions, running down public services, and giving no hope to
the country, the Labour Party will use this conference to show
how the new government will improve people's lives.
Ends.
Notes
- Currently, private rented homes can be rented out if they
meet Energy Performance Certificate E, while social rented homes
have no minimum energy efficiency standard at all.
- The government will consult before the end of the year on
proposals for private and social rented homes to achieve Energy
Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030.
Annex- Labour Government action on clean energy and
climate.
This announcement continues the Labour Government's early action
to accelerate the UK's efforts towards clean power by 2030 and
energy independence. In nine weeks, the Government has:
- Ended the nine-year onshore wind ban within 72 hours.
- Secured a record-breaking 131 renewable energy projects
through the latest auction, which will produce enough power for
10 million homes.
- Consented more solar power in one week than has been
installed over the past year- powering the equivalent of almost
400,000 homes.
- Introduced our Great British Energy Bill to parliament, and
announced Juergen Maier, former CEO of Siemens UK, as the
start-up Chair of GBE.
- Signed the first major partnership between Great British
Energy and The Crown Estate, to unleash billions of investment in
clean power and turbocharge energy independence.
- Established a new National Wealth Fund with the Chancellor,
to drive low carbon investment into industrial areas.
- Appointed Chris Stark to lead 2030 mission control with a
laser focus on delivering clean power by 2030.
- Kicked off the creation of a new independent National Energy
System Operator, to ensure power supply meets demand as we meet
our clean power mission.
- Set out initial plans for a solar rooftop revolution, to see
solar panels play an important role delivering cleaner energy and
lowering bills to millions of households and businesses.
- Put the United Kingdom back on the world stage of climate
leadership, working with international partners to support global
climate action.
