Overview
- The energy department says an extra £1.5bn takes the Warm Homes package to nearly £15bn, billed as the biggest public investment to upgrade homes and tackle fuel poverty.
- Ed Miliband is expected to publish the plan in January, with reports indicating up to £13bn over four years for grants and low- or zero-interest loans for rooftop solar, home batteries and heat pumps.
- Ministers are reported to be preparing to relax rules on plug‑in solar units for balconies, patios and flat roofs to widen access beyond properties suitable for rooftop arrays.
- Multiple outlets report a possible £30 annual levy on gas bills to lower electricity prices and encourage heat pump uptake, which the government describes as speculation.
- Industry points to early ‘zero-bill’ households and substantial savings from combined solar, batteries and heat pumps, while critics question targeting, costs and fairness for gas‑reliant homes.