Energy efficiency homes for all

At the 2024 Labour Conference, Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, announced a bold commitment to significantly improve the energy efficiency of homes across the UK. In his speech, he outlined Labour’s plan to ensure that both socially and privately rented homes would meet higher energy efficiency standards, with the goal of lifting over one million people out of fuel poverty by 2030.

Ed Miliband said: “We all know that the poorest people in our country often live in cold, draughty homes. …this government will not tolerate this injustice, and we will end it.

“We will go further and faster than promised in our manifesto: ensuring every rented home reaches decent standards of energy efficiency.”

Under the proposed legislation, social and private rent homes will be required to meet an EPC rating of C before they can be rented out.

Miliband criticised the Conservative Party’s legacy of cold and draughty homes, describing it as a “Tory scandal” that Labour is determined to end. He promised to enforce stricter energy performance standards, requiring rented properties to achieve an EPC rating of C, compared to the current minimum of E. This initiative is expected to reduce energy bills for tenants while contributing to the UK’s climate goals by cutting carbon emissions through improved insulation, solar panels, and low-carbon heating systems.

Rebecca Armstrong, CEO of Making Energy Greener, welcomed the move, highlighting the positive impact it would have on vulnerable tenants often living in poorly heated homes. She noted that the EPC rating of C by 2030 would ensure warmer, healthier, and more affordable homes, while emphasising the importance of government support schemes like ECO4 and the Warm Homes Grant to assist landlords in upgrading their properties.

“I am very happy to hear that the government is finally putting pressure on landlords to improve the energy performance of their properties. Far too often, vulnerable people are left living in poorly heated, damp homes, which can have a serious impact on their health and well-being. The new standard of an EPC rating of C by 2030 is a crucial step in pushing up standards across private and social rented properties, helping to ensure that tenants have homes that are warmer, healthier, and more affordable to live in.” she said.

Miliband also stressed Labour’s commitment to clean energy, reiterating the party’s ambition to make the UK a clean energy superpower. By promoting renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydrogen, Labour aims to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and protect citizens from fluctuating global energy prices.

This ambitious plan reflects Labour’s broader vision of economic and social justice, prioritising energy efficiency as a key tool to address both climate change and inequality.

For more information on Energy efficiency homes for all talk to Nationwide Sureties