UK Homes Stall on Energy Efficiency Ahead of Expensive Winter

Energy efficiency ratings of UK homes are stalling, heightening concerns over soaring utility bills in what is set to be a costly winter.

The median energy efficiency score of homes in England and Wales has risen only marginally compared to last year. England and Wales had scores of 67 and 65 respectively in 2022, compared to 66 and 64 in 2021, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

Improving the energy efficiency of homes makes it cheaper to warm them during the colder months. However, a range of measures -- such as home insulation grants -- have been botched or abandoned under successive prime ministers over the past decade, according to the Climate Change Committee, the government’s independent adviser.

That has left the country with some of the leakiest housing in Europe and puts households worse off this winter as the country grapples with an energy crisis caused by Russia curtailing supplies to the continent.

British lawmakers have stepped in to keep bills down, including by capping energy prices for the average household at £2,500 ($2,834) per year. Still, costs are more expensive than last winter and more energy-efficient homes would keep bills down for years to come.

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss also blocked an energy-saving campaign this month that was planned to help households reduce electricity and gas demand.

“As winter draws in, we have quite literally failed to insulate ourselves from the energy crisis,” Harvey Sinclair, chief executive officer of eEnergy Group Plc, said by email. “Greater investment and alternative solutions are needed to reduce energy waste as rising energy bills put even more pressure on businesses and homeowners.”

The stalling scores also raise concerns about the UK’s progress toward meeting its net-zero aims. The Climate Change Committee has criticized Britain’s greenhouse gas reduction efforts as insufficient to meeting the 2050 target. It flagged buildings as an area with “significant risks” and said efforts to reduce energy waste are falling short.