Members of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) have called on Ministers to alter the Government’s fiscal policies for winter fuel allowances and stamp duty on homes, in a bid to help decarbonise the UK’s housing stock. Speaking at a Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee hearing on Tuesday morning (26 March), the CCC’s chairman Lord Deben and team leader for building and industry Jenny Hill were quizzed on how the Government should best support the decarbonisation of homes in its upcoming framework for improving energy efficiency across the built environment sector. The policy is due to be published later this year after the Committee’s six-month inquiry hears from industry experts, investors, academics, green groups and politicians, with the inquiry beginning at a time when energy use in homes accounted for 14% of total UK emissions. During the hearing, MPs asked Lord Deben how central Government could set policies which help the housing sector to become more energy-efficient and low-carbon at a time when funding is “already stretched”. Deben, who also chairs green consultancy Sancroft, argued that the £1.2bn which the CCC estimates will be required to bring all “fuel-poor” homes to an energy standard of “C” or above by 2030 could be ring-fenced via overhauls to the UK’s stamp duty and winter fuel payments systems.
Edie 28th March 2019 read more »