Powering down costs: Making retrofit simple, fair and scalable - New Report

To cut bills Britain need to "be more French". As the Government prepares to launch its new Warm Home Plan, new analysis shows ministers should look across the Channel for inspiration.

Strategic communications agency Stonehaven has released a report that shows that the French approach to reducing bills through energy saving is 50% more effective than that used in the UK.

Stonehaven’s analysis finds that the French scheme MaPrimeRénov’ (My Renovation Grant in English) saved 1.59kwh per pound spent compared to 1.04kwh per pound spent by the UK’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme.

The French scheme upgraded 2.4 million homes since it launched in 2020, achieving in five years what ECO took twelve years to accomplish. What makes the French model work better is:

1. One clear national scheme that people recognise and can access easily, rather than multiple stop-start UK schemes with low public awareness.
2. Open to all households with tiered support, rather than relying on energy suppliers to determine eligibility.
3. A simpler customer journey with fewer hoops to jump through than ECO.

Adam Bell, Director of Policy at Stonehaven said, ““We need to ditch ECO and adopt a centralised model like MaPrimeRénov’. After ECO’s performance – particularly on solid wall insulation – the case is clear."

“Although it pains me as an Englishman to admit it, and however unpatriotic it sounds, the numbers don’t lie. Britain needs to be more French if Labour’s Warm Homes Plan is to succeed.”

Note:

1. ECO SWI failings were identified by the National Audit Office in a report published on October 10^th: Energy efficiency installations under the Energy Company Obligation - NAO report

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About Stonehaven

Stonehaven is an international strategy firm that helps clients accelerate and unlock change as they navigate the societal and environmental transitions shaping the world’s economies. Through unrivalled proprietary data insights, deep strategy and policy expertise, sustainability excellence and campaigning zeal, we help business leaders, philanthropists and investors improve their impact and secure long-term success. It is part of SGHG, the consultancy group which holds Public First, Stonehaven and Robertsbridge.