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Action needed on energy inefficient homes
13 July 2010
Commenting on today's Government's Energy Saving Trust (EST) report on the UK's worst homes and the cost of improving them, Friends of the Earth's climate campaigner Dave Timms said:
"It is a disgrace that so many people in the UK - including some of our poorest and most vulnerable families - live in dangerously cold homes and pay a fortune in heating bills because of bad insulation.
"The good news from this report is that the overwhelming majority of these badly insulated and poorly heated homes can be improved for less than £3,000. But it's shocking that the very worst homes are twice as common in the private rented sector. The Government must act urgently to ensure they are brought up to scratch.
"That means financial help and incentives to enable landlords to make improvements, and legislation so that rented homes are required to meet a minimum energy efficiency standard by 2016.
"With money tight, and over 4 million households living in fuel poverty, the case for generating green jobs and slashing fuel bills by making our homes warm and cheap to heat has never been stronger."
Key findings from the EST report:
· 20 per cent of UK homes (17% in England) are F or G rated - the very worst condition homes on a scale A-G.
· Most of these properties can be improved up to B and E for less than £3,000, with basic insulation and a modern heating system.
· If all F and G homes were improved to become E rated, it would save 9.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
· The private rented sector has twice as many of the very worst condition properties (band G) as the rest of the UK's housing stock.
· 60 per cent of F or G rated private rented properties can be brought up to band E for less than £5,000.
Notes to Editors
1. You can see the EST report here: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.
Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2010
