Welsh Government slammed over energy efficiency rollout that 'could take 135 years'
Welsh Government investment in its Warm Homes programme is nowhere near what is required to tackle fuel poverty, according to a Senedd committee. Improving the energy efficiency of all fuel-poor households in Wales would take well over a century at the current rate, the equality and social justice committee inquiry has heard.
While energy costs have risen to unprecedented levels, real-terms spending on the Warm Homes programme has remained broadly flat since 2021. The initiative includes schemes to install insulation and low-carbon heating solutions like solar panels.
In its report, 'Turning up the Heat', the committee calls for the Welsh Government to commit to ensuring any extra funding that becomes available goes towards tackling fuel poverty. Its chairwoman Jenny Rathbone, a Labour MS, said: 'The cost of energy from fossil fuels keep rising, which makes the need to tackle fuel poverty imperative. Frustratingly, this has not been reflected in the Welsh Government's efforts, leaving a devastating impact on those who can least afford it.
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"Instead we've seen a pattern of delays and missed deadlines. It is hard to disagree with the experts: the level of investment in the Warm Homes programme is nowhere near what is required to match the scale of the challenge of ending fuel poverty.'
Written evidence to the committee highlighted the Welsh Government's expectation that roughly 11,500 homes would receive adaptations over a seven-year period. At that pace, work to reach all fuel poor households in Wales would not be completed before the year 2160.
The report recommends the Welsh Government commits to investing any additional funding — including any underspends or Barnet consequential arising from UK Government funding towards tackling fuel poverty in England — in the Warm Homes programme. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
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