The Government’s new flagship energy efficiency scheme, Green Deal, launches January 28. But new research from uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, suggests that it is in danger of becoming Britain’s best kept secret. Less than two in ten consumers (19 per cent) have heard of Green Deal, despite the fact that it could help millions to cut the cost of their energy bills.
Green Deal is a new way for householders to pay for energy efficiency home improvements. It will let you pay for some or all of the improvements over time through your electricity bill. Repayments will be no more than a typical household should save in energy costs. Those taking part will get a Green Deal assessment, a report with recommendations, the opportunity to get quotes from Green Deal providers and the improvements made by a Green Deal installer.
This could be music to householders’ ears – almost seven in ten (67 per cent) are interested in making their home more energy efficient. And with the average household energy bill hitting an all-time high of £1,352 a year, almost nine in ten bill payers (86 per cent) see lower energy bills as the key benefit of insulating their home.
However, cost is holding many back. Over half (51 per cent) say this is the biggest barrier they face in improving the efficiency of their home. Another obstacle is a lack of information and know-how, which is holding over a quarter of consumers (27 per cent) back.
This makes the Green Deal scheme even more important because of the level of reassurance and support it provides. Over six in ten (61 per cent) are interested in the advice, reassurance and support it will offer, including the option of re-paying the cost of home improvements through their energy bills. Over half (54 per cent) would like to get a report telling them clearly what improvements they could make to the energy efficiency of their home, while 49 per cent like the idea of repaying the cost of energy efficiency improvements through savings made on their energy bill.
This makes it even more worrying that, despite consumers clearly crying out for this help, the Government has yet to make a concerted effort to tell them about Green Deal.
Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com said : “The high cost of energy today means that Green Deal has to deliver – there is a lot at stake here for consumers. Household energy is rapidly becoming unaffordable and reducing the amount we use will protect us from higher bills. This is why consumers need to have a simple, well-designed and well-communicated scheme they can trust, if they are to feel the benefits in their pockets and on their bills.
“In the face of higher prices there are two simple steps to lowering bills: use less energy and pay the lowest possible price for what you do use. The Green Deal should hopefully help many more with the former, and I would urge consumers to help themselves now with the latter. There is currently almost £250 between the cheapest and most expensive energy tariffs on the market– a substantial saving that could make a big difference in the battle to afford to stay warm.”
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