CIH responds to Energy Security Strategy

On 7 April, the government published its Energy Security Strategy with the intention of ensuring a long-term supply of secure, clean and affordable British energy. It acknowledges the severe cost of living pressures which have resulted from global energy price increases and recognises that the “first step” in tackling this is to “improve energy efficiency”. However, it does not announce any new major investment in energy efficiency measures and proposes only a “gradual transition” in our housing stock.

In response to the announcement, Annie Field, CIH policy and practice officer said:

“This Energy Security Strategy is a missed opportunity to invest in a critically needed programme of energy efficiency measures in our existing homes. Britain’s homes are some of the least efficient in Europe. Tackling this inefficiency would be one of the quickest and cheapest ways of cutting our nation’s energy consumption and reducing households’ skyrocketing bills. We need a targeted investment programme from the Government; this Strategy does little more than repeat previous commitments on energy efficiency which fell short of the mark.

"Fuel poverty is a problem now for thousands of households. The “gradual transition” towards energy efficient buildings that the Government proposes is not sufficient. We cannot wait until new sources of energy are ready to tackle this issue.”