Green home refurbishments could save householders £300

Green home 'refurbishments' are to be offered to householders under a Government scheme which could save them £300-a-year in fuel bills, ministers will pledge.

By Rosa Prince, Political Correspondent Last Updated: 12:22AM GMT 12 Feb 2009

By installing proper energy saving measures, average fuel bills could be cut by up to £300-a-year Photo: JOHN ROBERTSON

Unveiling a new drive to reduce carbon emissions from residential homes, Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, is preparing to set out ways to make it easy for householders to install environmentally-friendly technologies.
As well as cutting emissions, he will say that a "green refurbishment" which could include fitting insulation or smart metres, would save home owners hundreds of pounds a year in energy bills.
The Local Government Association called on energy companies to set up a multi-million pound fund to pay for a mass insulation programme.
Their plea came as Mr Miliband and Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary prepare to unveil a new heat and energy saving strategy aimed at cutting emissions from homes by 30 per cent by 2020.
They will say that by installing proper energy saving measures, average fuel bills could be cut by up to £300-a-year.
As part of the package of measures designed to bring the country's Victorian housing stock up to date, home owners will be offered low-interest loans to give their property an environmentally-friendly make-over.
Ministers fear that many home owners are reluctant to carry out energy-saving work and other improvements because of the high-up front costs which they can not recoup if they move house in the future.
As a result, the package includes proposals for giving families help with financing, with low interest loans being repaid over a long period of time, with payments taken over by the new owner if the house is sold.
There are also guarantees that the owners of homes which produce as well as consume energy after installing green technology will receive cash refunds on their bills.
So far, around four million homes have benefited from help to make them more environmentally-friendly, and ministers want the great British refurb to ultimately dwarf similar schemes planned by US President Barack Obama and already introduced across Scandinavia.
Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, said: "We need a great British refurb to get every home and every street fit for a 21st century greener way of life.
"We've achieved a lot so far - four million homes already insulated - and more and more people want to do their bit to save money and cut down on carbon.
"We must find new ways of slashing energy use and feeding cleaner energy into our streets and neighbourhoods.
"But it's too much to ask home owners to face the full extent of this challenge on their own. We've got to think big and make sure people get the help they need."
Sir Jeremy Beecham, vice chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "A comprehensive home insulation programme is the best long-term solution to tackling fuel poverty, cutting domestic carbon emissions, creating jobs and saving people money.
"The energy suppliers have been asked to contribute more towards cutting carbon emissions and household bills, but this investment must not be a one-off gesture and the cost should not be passed through to consumers."