Empowering homeowners to insulate their homes through improved awareness and information

Executive summary

There are clear benefits for the government and for households in insulating as many poorly insulated homes as possible. 

Improving the insulation of a property can help homeowners to reduce their energy bills, keep their homes warmer in winter, and cut their carbon emissions. Home heating accounts for around 17% of UK emissions. 

This report includes new Which? research [1] into the barriers that prevent homeowners improving the insulation of their homes, with a focus on homeowners’ engagement with this issue and their experience of looking for information. It makes recommendations for how the government, business and other organisations can better support homeowners with, what can be, some complex and costly decisions involved in improving insulation.

The UK government has set a target for all homes to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C by 2035 where practical, affordable and cost effective, and the Scottish and Welsh governments have set similar targets [2], but there is no legal requirement for homeowners to meet this target. Many homeowners may decide that improving insulation is not currently affordable or they may prefer to get the work done at a later date, but given the potential benefits there is a strong case for all homeowners to be made aware of the options and have access to good quality information so that they can make an informed choice. 

Many homeowners are still not looking to insulate their homes

Our research shows that, in the last five years, only 4 in 10 (37%) homeowners took the first step of looking for information about insulation, and the majority (63%) of those looking ultimately chose not to proceed with any work. The result is that only 14% of households have made improvements to the insulation of their homes in the last five years. This is despite high levels of concern about energy costs and the need to keep homes warm in the winter months [3].  

Homeowners that haven’t looked into insulating their homes are most likely to say that this is because they believe their home is warm enough or already insulated enough, however our research shows that many of these homeowners are likely living in poorly insulated homes. Homeowners also revealed other reasons such as a concern that their home wasn’t suitable or that insulation wouldn’t be effective.

Findings from our research illustrate households' different priorities in relation to insulation and when they are most likely to consider improving the insulation of their homes; insights that can be used to better engage homeowners and address potential misconceptions.

Consumers find online information useful - when they can find it

The majority of homeowners that looked into having home insulation improvements in the last five years did find helpful information (69%). Homeowners are using a variety of sources which helps them to find information that meets their needs, but it is important that they can also identify good quality independent sources to verify what they have read or heard.

Disappointingly only one in five (21%) found and used the government’s online home energy assessment tool. However more than 80% of those that did use the tool found it useful. This suggests more should be done to make this information easier to find.

But require more advice tailored to their needs

69% of homeowners that searched for information online wanted advice that was more tailored to their property and their circumstances and 46% said that it was difficult to know where to start. This sends a clear message that many homeowners need more support through what can be a complex process, including identifying the insulation needs of a property, finding financing solutions and identifying a qualified and reliable installer. 

The importance of addressing other barriers

Although 69% of homeowners had a good experience when looking for information online only 37% went on to get work done on their home. Over half (53%) of UK homeowners who looked into insulation in the last five years said that the upfront cost of the work or concern about the pay back times was the main reason why they did not proceed, and 1 in 10 (11%) of those who looked but didn’t conduct insulation work said they searched for, but did not find, an available trader to carry out the work. 

Previous Which? research has also found that consumers struggle to find installers they can trust in the wider home improvements sector, and the prevalence of complaints and negative press stories undermines consumer confidence in getting work done. 

Our recommendations

There is an urgent need for governments to develop a joined up, comprehensive plan that addresses the consumer barriers that prevent consumers from improving the insulation of their homes. The plan should include a more proactive approach to public engagement and providing information and advice, but in order to have impact and avoid the risk of consumer harm, it must also address the lack of qualified and reliable installers and provide appropriate financial support for those that need it - especially those living in fuel poverty. As many aspects of housing are devolved, different approaches are being taken by the governments in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. In particular Scotland has Home Energy Scotland, a relatively well developed information and advice service and Wales has the Nest advice service.

Figure 1: Steps to improve the consumer journey for home insulation

Engaging homeowners

• Governments should develop campaigns that raise homeowners’ awareness about the benefits of insulation and the resources available to support them. They should work with national and local partners that are already active in this area or that are well placed to engage homeowners. Messages should be targeted according to the age of householders, income and property type. Attention should be paid to key events when households are more likely to consider installing insulation, such as when moving home or when undertaking another home improvement project.

Providing information and advice

• The UK government should make its own information services easier for homeowners to find. It should also create an online hub as part of the government website that signposts homeowners to other robust information and advice providers and One-Stop Shops that can help homeowners through the process of improving the insulation of their homes. The Scottish and Welsh governments should consider whether there is scope for other providers to support or extend the services that they are already providing.
• Governments should reform the content, design and delivery of EPCs so they are more accurate and effective at informing homeowners about how to improve the insulation of their homes. This should include effective oversight of EPC assessments to ensure they meet high standards.
• Governments should work with installers, energy companies and financial providers to investigate opportunities to provide an affordable energy audit and whole house plan. This has the potential to reduce a key barrier for homeowners and improve demand for other services.

Addressing financial barriers

• Governments and financial service providers should seek to make home energy efficiency improvements more affordable for all homeowners. Governments should ensure fuel poor households have access to support to make their homes more affordable to heat, and, where necessary, work with financial service providers to support the development of green financial products that incentivise households and spread the high upfront cost of some insulation measures.

Making it easier to find a qualified and reliable installer

• UK and devolved governments should work with the insulation sector to support recruitment and training of installers to ensure there is sufficient supply to meet demand and provide choice and competition in the market, across the UK. 
• The UK government should make it easier for homeowners to find qualified and trustworthy installers. In order to address rogue traders and poor quality installations that can lead to widespread financial and emotional harm and undermine consumer confidence, the UK government should identify the certification scheme or schemes that homeowners should look for when searching for an installer and introduce mandatory alternative dispute resolution, so that consumers have a clear route to seek redress should anything go wrong.

You can access our complete library of data to understand the challenges facing consumers from our consumer data hub.

Introduction

High energy prices and the urgent need to take action on climate change have made home energy efficiency a critical issue for householders and the government.

Even though energy prices have started to fall from the prices experienced during the last winter, they are still nearly double what they were before the energy crisis and they are predicted to remain high and more volatile for the next decade, creating serious financial challenges for many households. This can have a worrying impact; Which? research has found that in the last year nearly half of households have not turned the heating on when it is cold (46%), which can increase the risk of heart diseases and poorer mental health. Home heating also accounts for a large proportion of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions; heating homes accounted for 17% of UK emissions in 2019 [4].  

In order to tackle these twin challenges the UK government has set a target for all homes to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of C or above by 2035, where this is practical, cost effective and affordable. In addition, in 2022 the government announced a new target to cut energy use from buildings by 15% by 2030 based on 2021 levels. The government has also committed to phasing out the installation of all gas boilers by 2035, creating another incentive for householders to consider the insulation of their homes.

There is no legal requirement for homeowners to improve the insulation of their properties and homeowners may decide that improving insulation is not currently affordable or they may prefer to get the work done at a later date. However, given the potential benefits there is a strong case for homeowners to be made aware of the options and have access to good quality information so that they can make an informed choice. 

The UK’s housing stock is amongst the coldest and leakiest in Europe [5]. 57% of homes in England are currently below the government’s target for energy efficiency [6]. The percentages are 58% in Scotland, 72% in Wales, 55% in Northern Ireland [7]. Insulation needs vary, but it is estimated that 13.3 million households need loft insulation, 5.9 million need cavity wall insulation and 7.4 million need solid wall insulation [8].

There is a particular challenge for UK governments in relation to homeowners that are expected to fund any insulation work themselves, where the Climate Change Committee has said that the governments have “limited oversight and enforcement mechanisms.” This is in contrast to social housing and the private rental sector where governments are better placed to set standards for the measures that should be installed and how the work is delivered, and there are already clear proposals (including from the UK governments) for how change could be delivered in these sectors. In contrast governments in the UK are taking an enabling and encouraging approach towards homeowners with the aim of working with them to achieve the changes required. As this is an area of devolved responsibility, government interventions to support homeowners that want to improve the insulation of their homes vary across the UK.

Most consumers that are looking to improve the insulation of their homes face a difficult journey including some complex and costly decisions, as well as the potential for frustration and significant financial and time harm if things go wrong. The key barriers for homeowners are:

• A lack of awareness, information and advice.
• High upfront costs of installing insulation.
• Difficulty finding a qualified and reliable installer.

While the salience of these barriers will vary according to a homeowner's income and the type of property, addressing all three factors is critical to meeting the UK's insulation challenge. This report focuses on the initial steps in this journey, including homeowners’ awareness of the benefits of insulation, being motivated to think about the changes they could make to their home, and conducting research into insulation improvements.

Figure 2: Initial steps in a consumer’s journey

Chapter one of the report looks at the reasons why some homeowners are not seeking information about insulation. Chapter two considers three factors that will be critical in engaging these households. Chapter three assesses the information sources that homeowners are using, whilst chapter four looks at the other important barriers that are preventing homeowners from improving the insulation of their homes including high upfront costs and difficulty in finding a qualified and reliable installer. The final chapter makes recommendations for how governments can help tackle these barriers and support people to make the changes that are needed.

Methodology

This report presents the results of a brand new survey of 2,673 UK homeowners, conducted by Yonder Consulting on behalf of Which? in April 2023, aiming to uncover and understand the main barriers that prevent homeowners improving the insulation of their home. We specifically focus on homeowners’ awareness, engagement and experience of searching for information and advice on the improvements they could make.

1. It’s not for me, my home is warm enough already

Nearly half of homeowners are not looking into insulating their homes

Our research indicates that 46% of UK homeowners have not looked into insulating their home in the last five years and are not considering this for the future.

Awareness of the benefits of insulation is high

However, a lack of basic awareness of the benefits of insulation is not the major barrier preventing this group of homeowners from looking into insulation. When homeowners who have not looked into, and are not considering, insulation for their home were asked whether they were aware of the benefits of insulation, the majority said they were aware that insulation improvements can make their home warmer / more comfortable to live in (86%) and a similar number said they were aware it can reduce the amount they pay on their energy bills (85%).

And there are strong motivations

Respondents also demonstrated a high level of concern about energy bills (86%) and keeping their home warm during the winter months (69%). This should suggest a high level of motivation for looking into what improvements they could make to the insulation of their home.

But this doesn’t translate into action

The most common reason for homeowners not looking into insulating their homes is that they believe their home is already well insulated / warm enough, with 46% of this group giving this as a reason. Other reasons included concern about the upfront costs (21%), concern that the savings from insulating their home aren’t sufficient to justify the investment (18%), concerns about insulation measures won’t be suitable for their home (13%) and how to get started (8%), as well as households that have recently had insulation work done or who are about to move.

Figure 3: Almost half of UK homeowners have not looked into insulating their homes in the last five years and are not considering this for the future

Could more of these households benefit from improvements?

Approximately 4 in 10 households in the UK have an Energy Performance Certificate of C or higher [9]. This suggests that it is possible that many of the householders that are not considering improving the insulation of their home are correct in assuming their home is relatively well insulated [10].

However, evidence in our survey suggests that many of the people who are aware of the benefits of insulation, but aren’t looking into insulating their homes, are living in homes where insulation could be improved.

It was not possible for this research to know exactly how well insulated each respondent’s home was, but we did ask respondents whether they knew what EPC band their home was in. Almost 4 in 10 UK homeowners (39%) who knew their EPC band was D to G (i.e. below the UK government’s target for energy efficiency) said they would not consider insulating their home for the future. The most significant reasons that were given were financial; 33% of these consumers expressed doubts about their ability to afford insulation, and 27% believe that the upfront costs of insulating their homes would outweigh the potential long-term savings on their energy bills. In addition, 25% of households that reported having an EPC rating between D and G felt that their homes may not be suitable for additional insulation.

In addition to the above, we looked at EPC ratings of households in the English Housing Survey 2020 [11] to explore how they differ by certain demographic and household characteristics, helping us understand which groups are most likely to own poorly insulated homes. This survey shows that people over 65 are most likely to own a home in EPC bands D to G. More than half of homeowners in this age group (56%) live in a poorly insulated home, compared to 41% of 25-34 year old homeowners. Owners of poorly insulated properties are also more likely to own their home outright rather than with a mortgage (67% own outright) and to be retired (66%). Our survey in turn finds that these factors associated with owning a less-well insulated property are also associated with not considering insulation. 

Drawing conclusions from this apparent correlation is not straightforward, as there is a significant risk of reverse causation: by definition, those who have not considered home insulation are more likely to be living in poorly insulated homes. However this initial analysis may indicate that the owners of some homes most in need of insulation may also be least likely to consider it. These characteristics should be considered in communications about the support and resources available to help households improve the insulation of their homes. 

In summary, the evidence indicates that there is a significant group of homeowners who are aware of the benefits of insulation and could benefit from improved insulation but believe their homes are warm enough or already sufficiently insulated and are therefore not taking the next step of finding out more about how insulation could tackle their energy bills or make their home warmer.

More research is needed to understand why this group of consumers are not seeking more information about how they could improve the insulation of their homes, however some possibilities include:

• Homeowners may be used to living in relatively poorly insulated homes and are not aware that their home could be more energy efficient. There is some evidence that homeowners overestimate how energy efficient their home is [12]. And some householders are not aware of the insulation their home has and may be accustomed to the colder temperatures or higher costs of heating a relatively poorly insulated home. For example, the most recent Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s public attitudes tracker survey found that, in Winter 2022, many respondents did not know if their home had certain types of insulation (34% for wall, 34% for underfloor and 25% for loft) [13].
• Alternatively, homeowners may be aware that their home could be more energy efficient but it is warm ‘enough’ when weighed against other challenges that they face or negative preconceptions about the cost and disruption that further work would involve. One in five (21%) of this group of consumers cited their perceived ability to afford insulation improvements, or concern about the cost-effectiveness of making improvements (17%) as reasons for not considering improvements to their home. A smaller but still significant proportion of this group mentioned that it is not a priority for their household (14%) or the hassle involved (12%) as barriers. This would be supported by behavioural analysis that suggests householders may have a tendency to prefer the status quo or settle for good enough rather than best, even when this comes at a cost [14].

2. Opportunities to engage consumers

The UK government recognised the importance of public engagement in the Heat and Buildings Strategy [15], “Public engagement is a vital element of successful decarbonisation, since the public will need to take action to change the way they heat their homes and workplaces. We will ensure that all consumers are made aware of the actions they should be taking, the specific changes that will affect them, and the support available.”

There are currently relatively few large-scale initiatives to encourage householders to consider improving the insulation of their homes, though this does vary across the UK nations. In winter 2022/23, the UK government ran the ‘It all adds up’ campaign and the Welsh government ran the ‘every nest is different’ campaign both of which highlighted the actions that householders can take to reduce their energy bills. Both campaigns were primarily focused on simple, low cost measures. Insulation was included on the landing pages but was low down on the list of actions and didn’t have a profile in the awareness raising campaign itself. In contrast the  ‘Lets do net zero’ campaign run by Home Energy Scotland placed greater emphasis on insulation measures. There are also a number of campaigns run by mayors and local authorities [16]. These tend to focus more on low income homes in line with the funding that is available to support these schemes.

The Net Zero Review conducted on behalf of the government by Chris Skidmore MP described public engagement on net zero as the ‘missing piece of the puzzle’ and called for the government to conduct “a widespread public engagement campaign. This must be designed to help households recognise how and why they should take action to reduce the carbon footprint of their homes, and to understand what support is available. [17]”

Any campaign that is designed to engage homeowners must address both the positive reasons for taking action and the concerns that might prevent homeowners from taking action [18]. In our survey households gave a variety of reasons for not looking for information about how to insulate their home. In addition to the households that believed their home was already warm enough or insulated enough, households didn’t think their household would be suitable for insulation installations (13%) or didn’t know where to start (8%). Other households indicated that it was not a priority (14%) or they had not had time to think about it (6%).

The following section considers the positive motivations that may encourage homeowners to consider the insulation of their homes.

Motivations for improving insulation

The way that insulation is framed is likely to have a major influence on the way that households perceive insulation, both in an environmental and economic sense, but also around the physical and psychological health benefits insulation can provide. Depending on how strongly households share these concerns it has the potential to motivate them to find out more about insulation and encourage them to persevere through the process of getting it installed.

The Behavioural Insights Team have noted that “In many of the experiments and surveys we have run we routinely find that cost, convenience and ‘performance’ (which may mean taste, quality, warmth, safety etc. depending if we’re asking about food, consumer goods, energy efficiency, transport etc.) are almost always the top three. Health and environmental impacts tend to rank lower. [19]” In the case of home insulation this may suggest that focusing on benefits such as warmth and comfort, and addressing concerns such as cost, may be more effective than environmental impacts in encouraging homeowners to be more engaged with the insulation of their homes.

There are already a range of organisations providing homeowners with information and advice about insulation including governments, consumer groups, companies and social enterprises. A review of the homepages of these organisations demonstrates the different messages that are being used, and could be used in public engagement campaigns.

Figure 4: Images from the home pages of organisations providing information and advice on insulation [20]

Environmental concerns: 

Insulation can help to reduce energy use and therefore cut carbon emissions. In many homes better insulation will also be a step towards installing a low carbon heating system as part of the transition away from fossil fuel burning gas boilers. As a result, tackling climate change could be a motivating factor for some homeowners to make changes to the way they heat their homes, and environmentally concerned consumers are often seen as early adopters in retrofitting their homes. The name and homepage for EcoFurb emphasise the environmental benefits of insulation (see Fig 4).

In our survey 47% of UK homeowners said that climate change and the impact their household has on the environment were concerns for them. However, only around 20% saw climate change and the environment as a motivating factor for insulating their home (significantly less than having a warm and comfortable home or reducing energy bills) and only 44% of this group had looked into improving the insulation of their home in the last five years. This suggests some households may not be making the link between their concern about climate change and the environment, and the way they heat their home, or the perceived barriers to insulating their home prevent them looking into the issue further.

Financial savings: 

86% of homeowners say they are concerned about high energy prices and many websites emphasise the potential savings that can be achieved through home insulation. In recent months this has become a more compelling reason to install insulation, with the time required for a measure to pay for itself through reductions in energy use improving significantly as a result of high energy prices.

However, our survey shows that many homeowners are not looking at insulation despite very high levels of concern about energy bills. This suggests that these homeowners are not making a link between the two issues, they are unconvinced by the payback periods, or the energy savings are not a sufficient motivator to overcome other perceived or real barriers, such the disruption caused by installing insulation.

This suggests that making the case for insulation based on financial arguments can be a difficult topic. Regardless of the savings that can be achieved, many households will struggle to afford the upfront cost, particularly at a time of rising costs across the economy. Our recent report into how the cost of living crisis is affecting UK households found that two-thirds of people have had their financial security negatively affected to some extent (67%) by the crisis [21]. This will be exacerbated by homeowners facing rising mortgage payments.

Financial savings may also be less effective in encouraging homeowners to consider installing insulation because the energy bill savings are spread over months or years. As such they are a deferred benefit and people naturally have a preference for more immediate benefits [22].

 Some organisations may be seeking to address these twin concerns about high upfront costs and unconvincing pay back times by highlighting the availability of funding very early in the information that is available online, as demonstrated on the Home Energy Scotland website (see Fig 4). Some financial providers are also offering households financial ‘rewards’ when they borrow money to invest in home insulation or low carbon heating. This creates a more immediate benefit to encourage homeowners to invest in these areas.

Warmth and comfort: 

In our survey as many homeowners refer to the warmth and comfort that insulation can deliver as a motivating factor (74%), as those that refer to financial benefits (77%). 

Some businesses and organisations are making more of this aspect of home insulation by highlighting aspirational elements and the additional warmth and comfort that is possible from insulating a home. This can be seen in the Home Energy Scotland website and the Furbnow website that also addresses householder’s concerns about hassle and disruption (see Fig 4).

According to our survey these messages are likely to be particularly appealing to older homeowners (see below). They also highlight more immediate personal benefits and therefore may be more effective than deferred or shared benefits.

One size doesn’t fit all - the need for tailored messages

Households have different motivations for improving the insulation of their homes and it is important to target these groups with relevant messages. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland created three consumer segments in the residential sector based on consumer drivers [23]. Although these groups may differ according to the context in different countries it illustrates the way that segments can be defined. These were

• Aspirational: sustainability, concerned about the future, evidence driven.
• Comfort and value seekers: home as heart, long term, investment driven, practical.
• Cost driven: short term considerations, reacting to triggers, quick fix.

Our research reveals some age-related variations in motivations. As shown in Figure 5, for older individuals (aged 55 years and over), the main motivating factors for considering insulation were having a warmer and more comfortable home (82%) and reducing energy bills (84%). For younger people (under 35 years old), these factors were still the main motivations, but this group were more likely than the older group to also highlight other financial benefits such as increasing the value of their property (27%) and benefiting from bank ‘green’ loans/mortgages/cash rewards (11%). 

Figure 5: Three main motivating factors for insulation by age

Trigger points

In addition to considering motivations, homeowners are also more likely to be open to engaging with the idea of improving the insulation of their homes at certain points, such as when moving home, having other home improvements done, or when making changes to their heating system [24]. Our survey found that those who moved home, recently paid off their mortgage or completed a large home improvement project in the past two years were more likely to have looked into home insulation (47%, 47% and 53% respectively) than all UK homeowners (37%).

At these points homeowners are already prepared for disruption to routines and upheaval in the home environment, and contractors and equipment may already be on-site. It can also be more cost effective to undertake energy efficiency improvements when other work is being done and research suggests that consumers are willing to consider stretching their budget to include energy efficiency improvements. Homeowners may also already be engaging with tradespeople who can offer professional advice on energy efficiency measures that may help to overcome barriers relating to an initial lack of knowledge and awareness. 

These trigger points were seen to be highest for families with younger children. This group were, on average, planning three major and more minor refurbishments within the next three years, compared to those in other stages of life, who planned an average of 2.5 projects in that time frame [25]. Mortgagors tend to change homes once every ten years, and homeowners that own their home outright change homes once every 24 years [26]. The infrequency of some of these events, underlines the importance of focusing communications at these times.

Another group likely to be planning home improvement projects were ‘empty nesters’, typically those approaching retirement whose children are grown-up. Groups that have just received a large lump sum, for example from a pension, may also consider investing in insulation that will reduce their outgoings in the future. Again our survey found evidence of this as those who recently paid off their mortgage were more likely to have looked into home insulation than all UK homeowners (47% compared to 37%).

Understanding consumers’ trigger points and motivations create an opportunity to maximise the opportunities that already exist to support consumers in improving the efficiency of their home.

Working with partners

Awareness raising campaigns that are led by governments can help to increase homeowners’ engagement with the energy efficiency of their homes. However, local authorities, and companies and organisations such as estate agents, financial providers, energy providers, consumer groups, DIY stores, general builders and consumer groups also have unique opportunities to engage consumers. These companies and organisations may be the most appropriate group to engage households given their contact with householders at specific times. Householders may also have preferences based on past experience or trust that make them more receptive to information from a particular company or organisation. 

An evidence review conducted by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland found that  “traditional approaches such as print media and television are effective in generating interest and awareness. However, to convert interest into actual retrofits requires a more personal approach of using local networks and trusted messengers to address barriers at social group level. [27]”

Whilst a diversity of organisations helps to engage consumers, the government has an important role in promoting consistency in the messages and in some cases supporting organisations with consistent data and other information so that these organisations can clearly promote the benefits of insulation without fear of misleading consumers. More work may also be needed to identify the incentives for companies and organisations to get involved in these campaigns. 

The trigger points that have been identified in the previous section give some indication as to the organisations and companies that may be well placed to engage homeowners at certain points, including estate agents, surveyors, banks and building societies, building merchants and general builders.

In most European countries, regional and local authorities (including city authorities) have an important role in providing information and advice on home energy efficiency. The primary purpose of these programmes is often the dispersal of funding for home insulation from European or national schemes but they also include important communication elements. Of the 151 projects covered in one study, 143 included some communication through websites, press releases or mass campaigns. The same study noted that these projects are “particularly effective (e.g. in terms of number of successful applications) when they are accompanied by tailored communication campaigns, aimed at listening to citizens’ preferences and concerns and accompanying them in and simplifying the process [28].”

In the UK the focus of many local authorities has tended to be on low income households and social housing. This is a reflection of the need to prioritise households that are on lower incomes and the focus of central government funding in this area. In a survey conducted by Local Partnerships [29] 81% of local authorities that responded to the survey were developing or delivering work with fuel poor households, and 58% were developing or delivering plans to work with social landlords. However 45% were planning or already working with self funding owner occupier households. Developing awareness, information and advice services is clearly still a challenge with 63% of the local authorities that responded wanting more support to develop projects focused on supporting the consumer journey, encouraging behavioural change, One-Stop Shops and customer segmentation. The  “Your Home, Better” scheme which is run by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, is an example of what could be done at local level. It offers advice and help with planning and delivery for households that are funding work themselves [30]. The government has also recently announced 36 projects that will benefit from Local Energy Advice Demonstrator Project funding [31]. The projects are designed to support either hard to reach households or households in hard to treat properties.

Opportunities for local authorities to support a wider range of homeowners include:

• providing advice and information services,
• joint purchase schemes to reduce costs,
• local directories of accredited installers,
• convening groups to address specific local challenges in the supply chain or planning rules,
• support for community led initiatives to build awareness, demonstrate new technology, create social norms etc.

Local engagement projects can be successful in working with communities to raise awareness, address specific concerns, demonstrate success stories and build confidence. Local initiatives could be particularly successful in supporting homeowners to bridge the gap between intention and action that may be one of the factors behind the discrepancy between the number searching for information about insulation and the number getting the work done. As homeowners see their neighbours adopting insulation measures it becomes a more normal and even expected part of maintaining and improving your home and creates new social norms around insulation.

3. Providing information and advice

Good information and advice services enable homeowners to make well-informed decisions and reduce the risk of consumer harm from poor decision making. This can include not going ahead with necessary work, choosing the wrong measures, not accessing the best finance available or choosing an unqualified or unreliable installer. Good quality information is particularly important in a sector where consumers are vulnerable due to information asymmetry between themselves and service providers, and where family and friends are also likely to have very limited experience due to the relatively low uptake of some insulation services in the UK.

There is a growing amount of online information available about home insulation giving consumers considerable choice about the organisation providing the information, the style in which it is produced and the different aspects of insulation that they may be interested in. Many consumers also continue to seek information that is not online including speaking to tradespeople, and friends and family. Consumers are already using a variety of these sources, but may not be aware of some and could be taking a considerable amount of time to research the options. 

The sources homeowners use

In our research we found that householders used a range of online sources to gather information about home insulation with similar numbers accessing online information from the UK government, consumer organisations, DIY sources (for example YouTube videos), energy providers, insulation installers and Energy Savings Trust (Fig 6). The variety of different sources of information offers consumers considerable choice, but some sources may contain inaccurate or contradictory information leading to confusion or poor decisions amongst some consumers. 

Figure 6: The range of online sources used by homeowners looking for information and advice on home insulation

It is also important to not solely focus on online sources of information when developing information and advice services. 3 in 10 homeowners (30%) who conducted insulation work on their home said they did not use the internet at all in their research. Instead, 4 in 10 (42%) of these people spoke to a builder or trade specialist, others relied on their own existing knowledge (35%) and a quarter spoke to friends/family/colleagues (25%).

The UK Government online home energy assessment tool

One important current source of information that homeowners in England or Wales can use is the UK government’s “Find ways to save energy in your home” tool. The tool allows consumers to enter information about their home and then receive a set of recommendations for home energy improvements [32]. A similar automated advice service is available to consumers in Scotland (Home Energy Scotland) [33] and from retrofit organisations.

 Energy Performance Certificates

Energy Performance Certificates are the main government led vehicle for providing consumers with information and advice about the changes they can make to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. All properties for sale in the UK must provide an Energy Performance Certificate that provides an energy efficiency rating from A-G and information about the steps that a homeowner can take to improve the energy efficiency of their home. Homeowners can also get an EPC assessment of their home at any other time. As a result a growing number of households now have an EPC for their home. As well as providing information to homeowners and renters, EPCs are also required to access some forms of funding.

Currently the way that EPCs are calculated can lead to inaccurate ratings and assessments can vary in quality with some providers offering an EPC for as little as £35 and completed on the basis of a 30 minute assessment. In some cases, the person conducting the EPC may have a conflict of interest if they are trying to sell a product or service. A recent Which? Survey found that 1 in 5 respondents questioned the accuracy of the survey results [34]. Researchers from Leeds Beckett University have also found that at least 27% of all EPCs lodged between 2008 and 2016 have a discrepancy that suggests an error was made [35].

There is also a lack of awareness about EPCs, with only 31% of consumers knowing their rating or having a sense of what the rating is, and 24% have never heard of EPCs [36].

EPCs are a potentially important tool for informing consumers, however even with improvements to EPCs, they will not provide the detailed information and advice that consumers will need to make decisions about their home heating. The government launched a consultation on EPCs in 2020 and has developed an Action Plan to take forward a number of proposals including improvements to the accuracy and presentation of information as well as quality assurance of EPC assessments [37]. However the plan is expected to take several years to implement and some aspects require amendments to legislation. In the meantime there have been calls for the plan to go further and include digital Building Renovation Passports that include historical and contemporary information about the property and a long term renovation roadmap. The digital passports could also include more actionable links to certified installers and information about financing options [38]. The Scottish government is also currently consulting on the reform of EPCs in Scotland.

Installers

Our survey showed that a significant proportion of homeowners either visit installers’ websites (24% of those looking online) or speak to an installer to access information about insulation. Properly qualified installers can be a valuable source of information however understanding how to install insulation and how it will interact with the property is a specialised skill and a homeowner may not be aware of the need to speak to a specialist. In some cases a tradesperson’s advice may also be influenced by relationships that they have built up with suppliers or companies. It can also be difficult for consumers to choose a tradesperson who is qualified and reliable (see chapter 4).

80% of businesses in the home improvements sector are sole traders or SMEs [39] which can make it difficult to improve their awareness and skills relating to insulation. Identifying points at which to engage traders, such as through building merchants, would be a first step to building capacity.

Energy Saving Trust

Energy Saving Trust is a unique organisation in this sector that provides independent information and advice to consumers on home energy efficiency as well as sustainable transport and water saving. It provides information through its own website as well as providing services on behalf of Home Energy Scotland, Nest, the Welsh advice service, and some companies.

Consumer groups

Consumer groups have an important role in providing independent information and advice to homeowners. As shown in Figure 6, 30% of those looking for information and advice online used consumer organisations. Which? also has a number of advice guides on home insulation and offers accredited installers through Which? Trusted Traders. Citizens Advice provides links to sources of information for consumers that are seeking information about how to improve the energy efficiency of their home. 

Energy providers, banks and building societies and other companies

An increasing number of companies are now offering information and other services related to insulation. The services can vary from online advice guides, to automated advice based on data inputted by the homeowner, and in some cases telephone advice or a survey. Some services also link to accreditation schemes to help consumers access qualified installers.

However, the provision of these services varies considerably across the banking, energy and DIY sectors. In the case of banking and energy the more bespoke services are usually only available to their own customers.

One-Stop Shops

A One-Stop Shop aims to address the complexity of the consumer journey by providing a single point of contact to support consumers through the process of insulating their homes. In practice One-Stop Shops can provide services from the provision of information and advice through to organisations that provide an end to end project management service, liaising with installers and in some cases financial providers or government grants. 

Not all homeowners will need a comprehensive One-Stop Shop service. Some homeowners will feel confident making their own arrangements, and if they only require a simple insulation measure such as loft insulation or cavity wall insulation and they have access to a certified installer they may not require further support. However homeowners that live in more complicated properties, or who are also considering changes to their heating system, may require the services a One-Stop Shop can offer. Critically One-Stop Shops are often able to offer a plan for a property and then provide support such as advice and recommended installers as the homeowner works through the plan - possibly over a period of years.

Our survey found that two thirds (68%) of homeowners that had searched for information online said that they wanted personalised information that was specific to their home. And 46% said that it was difficult to know where to start. This suggests there may be a significant number of homeowners that would value the additional support that a One-Stop Shop can provide. 

The initial step for most One-Stop Shops is to arrange a Home Energy Assessment which is a more detailed assessment of a home's energy efficiency and may include thermal imaging as well as one-to-one advice and a comprehensive plan to help you upgrade your home.

In our survey around 1 in 7 homeowners (15%) who had insulation work done had a Home Energy Assessment (HEA) of their home. This was most commonly used by homeowners undertaking larger insulation projects; over one in three of those who had both loft and wall insulation work done reported having a HEA beforehand (35%).  

One-Stop Shops have been successful in some parts of the UK and in other countries. 

• In Scotland, Home Energy Scotland (HES) is a national service that provides free and impartial advice to homeowners and landlords, through a website, a phone line and a network of local advice centres covering all of Scotland. In its submission to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee inquiry Energy Savings Trust reported that HES helps more than 90,000 consumers a year and 44% of customers installed an energy efficiency or renewable energy measure after receiving advice from an adviser. In addition, 38% were planning to install a measure in the subsequent 12 months. 69% of the total savings achieved by customers can be directly attributed to the advice provided by HES. As well as providing information about the measures householders can take it provides information and advice about home energy assessments, funding and links to accredited installers [40].
• In Ireland the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has taken a slightly different approach establishing a network of registered One-Stop Shops to support homeowners and landlords undertaking a more significant retrofit of their property. The OSSs provide support through the entire process including grant applications, contracting installers and project management of the work. The scheme has proved very popular with the current list of providers oversubscribed but additional providers applying to join the scheme. Homeowners that are only planning a single measure can access information through the SEAI website.
  Evaluations show that the SuperHomes Ireland scheme has supported homeowners to invest on average €28,000, instead of an average of €16,000 in their basic retrofit project. The average energy consumption saving is 85%, allowing for a return-on-investment as quickly as seven years in most cases [41].

In England and Wales, there are several One-Stop Shop providers, usually operating at a local or regional level [42]. Several projects that have a focus on low income or vulnerable households are linked to regional or city authorities. In some cases they may also offer support to the wider population. For example the Warm Homes Check Service in East Sussex offers a home assessment and support to access funding subject to eligibility [43]. There are also a small number of projects trialling area based approaches to retrofitting homes to see if the similarities between properties and a community approach can accelerate the adoption of insulation measures [44]. The sector is still in development; greater promotion would support the growth of the sector, but providers would also need time to increase their capacity in response to increased demand.

Consumers experience of looking for information

Overall there is mixed evidence about householders' experiences of looking for information. The Competition and Markets Authority recently published a report on consumer protections in the wider green heating and insulation sector, looking at consumer’s experience of buying products, business practices and the existence of standards and quality assurance bodies in the industry [45]. They found that consumers can sometimes face difficulties accessing clear, trustworthy and digestible information to be able to make informed decisions for their household. They stressed the importance of consumer confidence and consumer engagement in the sector to ensure people can trust businesses to act in their best interest and also drive effective competition and innovation to deliver better consumer outcomes.

In our survey, a majority of homeowners who researched insulation had a good experience of looking for information and advice with 7 in 10 finding the information helpful (69%). Not surprisingly we found that 8 in 10 of those who ultimately went on to have work done found the information and advice helpful (81%), compared to 6 in 10 of those who did not have work done (61%).

Experience of using the government’s online energy assessment tool

Our survey found that the vast majority of homeowners in England and Wales using the UK government tool for information and advice on insulation found it helpful (81%), however disappointingly the households that used the tool were no more likely to consider installing insulation in the future than households that hadn’t used the tool.  It is also concerning that a large proportion didn’t find the tool. Some that found it also chose not to use it.

Homeowners surveyed that did use the tool seemed to find it a useful starting point in their search for information. 

“It narrowed my search and made it very easy”

“It was a good starting point with clear information”

“It helped narrow down the search”

Whilst many homeowners had a positive experience of using the government advice tool many homeowners that searched for information online did not find the tool and a relatively large number that did find it did not use it.

Out of all the homeowners in England and Wales who searched the internet for information and advice on insulation, only one in five found and used the government tool (21%). Even a third (33%) of those who visited the UK government website to seek out insulation information said they did not come across the tool. This points to a missed opportunity to direct a greater number of homeowners engaged in insulation improvements and who are already using government resources to an advice tool service that is shown to be helpful and impactful to homeowners

There is also an issue with many homeowners not using the tool once they found it. Our research uncovered that 4 in 10 homeowners (40%) who found the tool said that they did not use it. We did not capture in this survey the reasons why these people did not use the tool but it may have been a result of concerns about sharing data, the level of detail the homeowner was looking for, or simply preferences about the way information is presented.

Figure 7: Diagram of UK government tool use amongst homeowners in England and Wales looking into insulation

 But a need for more tailored advice

Our research did reveal gaps in the availability of more tailored advice. Two thirds of homeowners (68%) that had searched for information online said that they wanted more personalised information that was specific to their home. And nearly half (46%) of these homeowners also said that it was difficult to know where to start.

This finding was even reflected amongst some of the respondents that used the government online tool. For example, some homeowners who did not find the tool helpful said that “the information was very high level and generic” or “too general”, with another respondent saying they were “not sure who to ask to do the work”. Some of the information that consumers may be looking for includes links to financing options, directories of accredited installers or access to providers that can provide more one-to-one advice. 

This was supported by a short online task conducted with the Which? Cost of Living panel in February 2023 to explore consumers' experience of looking for information and advice, also revealed gaps in the information available [46]. Panel members were asked to imagine they lived in a 1920s semi-detached draughty house and motivated to make their home much more energy efficient to help us understand how easy it is for consumers to find information and how accessible this is. The exercise found that consumers are able to easily access a vast amount of general guidance online. However, they struggled to narrow down their search to options that were relevant to the property described.

This is a major challenge due to the different needs that consumers are likely to have depending on the age and characteristics of their property, and their financial situation. This variety means that although consumers may initially benefit from online information, ultimately they often find that they need advice that is tailored to their situation. This advice has to be based on information about the property and the homeowner. It can be delivered through online tools, for example where the property only needs one or two relatively straightforward measures to reach EPC C, however based on some of the responses from householders that used the government’s online tool this level of detail or interaction was not enough.

A hub of information providers and One-Stop Shops

A relatively straightforward and effective approach for governments to take in order to support consumers looking for information and advice about the insulation of their homes would be to create a hub of approved information and advice providers. The hub could be made available alongside the government's own online services and signpost users to approved providers with some basic information about the organisations and the services available.

This approach was recommended in Each Home Counts, an Independent Review of Consumer Advice, Protection, Standards and Enforcement for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy that was commissioned by the government and published in 2016. 

A hub would give homeowners the ability to choose an organisation that provides the level of service they require, but with the assurance that the information and advice has been approved by the government. In some respects this is similar to the successful One-Stop Shop model developed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, but involving a wider range of information and advice providers.  It offers governments the opportunity to fill gaps in their own provision or give homeowners alternative options. In particular a hub could signpost homeowners to the more comprehensive service offered by the growing One-Stop Shop sector

This approach may be particularly relevant to England and Wales where government information and advice services for self funding homeowners are limited. In Scotland and in Wales where public advice services are available, the government would need to assess whether there is a need to increase promotion of additional services or if these services already effectively provided through the existing services.

Home Energy Surveys

A home energy survey is a practical solution for homeowners that want advice more tailored to their home. These surveys go beyond a standard EPC and give homeowners a whole house plan based on a full assessment of their property. They usually involve a conversation with the homeowner to understand their needs and answer any questions they may have. 

A survey can be an important step giving a homeowner the confidence to start making improvements to the insulation of their property, even if these improvements are delivered over a period of time. However the initial cost may be a barrier, as homeowners on a limited budget that are concerned about high energy costs and keeping their home warm will be aware that the survey itself won’t have an impact. 

4. Additional barriers: upfront costs and finding a reliable installer

Only 14% of UK homeowners have had insulation work done in the last five years. Even amongst those that have looked into insulation improvements two thirds (63%) did not go ahead and install new insulation in their homes.

This demonstrates that improvements to awareness and information will only be successful if they are part of a comprehensive strategy that addresses other barriers including the high upfront costs of insulation and difficulties in finding a qualified and reliable installer.  

Unsurprisingly, the biggest barrier to homeowners having work done is financial. This was evidenced by over half (53%) of UK homeowners who looked into insulation in the last five years mentioning financial factors involved with having work done as the main reason why they did not proceed. This included homeowners who simply found the cost involved unaffordable or too expensive, those who cited a lack of funding / grants schemes to support them having work done, or those who were not convinced by the cost effectiveness.

High upfront costs

Homeowners often refer to the high upfront cost of some insulation measures as the most significant barrier for not getting work done [47] and our survey found that this continues to be an important reason why households are not considering improving the insulation of their homes. 21% of respondents said they didn’t think they would be able to afford it and 17% said they thought it would cost more than the long term savings.

As a result of the energy crisis and the dramatic increase in energy prices, pay back periods for all insulation measures have improved, with pay back periods for loft insulation falling to a couple of years in some cases and cavity wall insulation to ten years. There is also evidence that house buyers are paying attention to the energy efficiency of properties [48]. However these improvements in the financial benefits of insulating a home have to be seen against the backdrop of the cost of living crisis and rising mortgage interest rates which has squeezed many household incomes making it less likely that homeowners will be able or willing to invest in these measures.

Currently eligibility for funding through government schemes and the Energy Company Obligation schemes is largely focused on households in receipt of benefits. There is some flexibility in the schemes to cover fuel poor households not in receipt of benefits however local authorities struggle to use this flexibility to identify and apply for additional households due to the bureaucratic process and a lack of capacity. As a result many fuel poor households may struggle to access the funding required to make their homes more affordable to heat.

In addition to fuel poor homes, many other households will struggle to afford the costs of insulating their home due to low incomes or high costs, and households may decide that the financial benefits are not sufficient to justify the investment. This is likely to be a particular issue for older homes that require solid wall insulation which is more expensive. Some banks and building societies have already developed green mortgages and loans, as well as incentives that address households' natural preference for immediate rather than deferred rewards. However, to date, take up has been limited, possibly reflecting low public engagement with these issues and the strength of some of the products compared to what is already available in the market [49].

The government has supported innovation in the development of green financial products and services through competitive funding. There may also be a role for the government in changes to legislation to allow for the introduction of new financial products, such as loans that are repaid through a tax or levy linked to a property. Schemes like this have been introduced in other countries including the US and the Netherlands [50], but would not currently be possible in the UK.

In September 2023 the government formally launched the Great British Insulation scheme which will extend government support for loft insulation or cavity wall insulation to households in council tax bands A-D. Households in these council tax bands can also apply for part funding for more expensive insulation measures [51].

A key lesson from other countries is the need for stability and predictability in the financial support that is available to homeowners. This is thought to be one of the factors in the success of the German KfW loan scheme that has been in place for ten years. The Dutch government has also chosen to make a long term commitment to the funding of their grants.

Finding a qualified and trusted trader

There is currently a significant shortfall in the number of qualified installers required to meet the UK’s net zero ambitions including in the home retrofit and insulation sectors. The Construction Industry Training Board has estimated that in order to retrofit 27 million homes and 2 million non residential buildings “around 12,000 workers a year would need to be trained over the first four years, with that annual recruitment ramping up to 30,000 between years five and ten. [52]” The lack of skilled installers and assessors is already impacting consumer choice with 1 in 10 householders who looked into insulating their homes, but didn’t get work done, telling us that they searched for, but did not find, an available trader to carry out the work (11%).

Initiatives to increase demand from households for insulation will encourage companies to invest and give tradespeople confidence to learn new skills, but these initiatives must be coordinated with initiatives to support an increase in supply to make it easier to find an installer that is qualified and reliable.

Currently, the market for home insulation is heavily dependent on government funding. In order to create a genuine market, homeowners will need confidence to invest in what for many will be relatively new products. Effective certification of installers will help to give consumers this confidence as well as tackling the stories about poor installations that are so harmful to confidence. 

Previous Which? research has highlighted low consumer confidence in the wider home improvements sector with 55% of consumers saying they find it hard to trust trader information (e.g. traders' own claims and customer reviews) and anxiety about being let down or 'ripped off' is a significant factor in putting off necessary home improvements - with one in five saying they had put off a home improvements project for this reason [53].

Of those that had experienced some difficulty in 87% of cases this resulted in some form of consumer detriment. In 46% of these cases it resulted in spending extra time to get the job done well and in 41% it resulted in the householder having to pay out more money to get the job done well. Other harms included the emotional cost of resolving the issue and feeling less confident about employing a trader in the future. 

There are already several certification schemes and codes operating in the green heating and insulation sectors. These schemes may be specific to the sector or more general. As a result a consumer can be faced by a large variety of accreditation schemes, certification bodies, review sites, consumer codes, trade associations and online platforms offering different levels of protection.

Figure 8: an example of a trade website listing the different schemes engineers belong to

The Each Home Counts Independent Review of Consumer Advice, Protection, Standards and Enforcement for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy [54] which was commissioned by the government and published in 2016 called for a quality mark that is easily recognised by consumers as providing appropriate protection.

More recently the Competition and Market Authority’s report on consumer protection in the green heating and insulation sectors noted ‘emerging gaps in protection for ‘able to pay’ consumers’ as a result of the confusing landscape of standards bodies and the robustness of standards. The CMA also found examples of unsubstantiated claims, greenwashing and limited pricing information by manufacturers and installers in the insulation and green heating sectors [55].

In addition to reforming the certification landscape to make it easier for consumers to choose a qualified and reliable trader, it is important that action is also taken to tackle the illegal practices of rogue traders that, given the opportunity, will continue to operate outside of any certification scheme. Local authority trading standards services, working with National Trading Standards and Trading Standards Scotland have the primary responsibility for protecting consumers from rogue traders, however the number of trading standards officers has been significantly reduced in recent years and the local structure of the service can make it difficult for officers to bring legal cases or work on issues that cross local authority boundaries. The Chief Executive of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute has noted that “Many trading standards services have less than five full-time equivalent staff and only one fully qualified Trading Standards Officer [56]”. One London borough now has no Trading Standards officers at all (Enfield). The impact of these cuts has been documented in the National Trading Standards workforce surveys [57]. Improved enforcement with a more appropriate balance at central, regional and local level, will be critical in improving and maintaining consumer confidence in the sector.

Conclusion and Recommendations 

Engaging homeowners and providing them with the information they need should be the first step in a comprehensive strategy to support homeowners to insulate their homes, helping them to cut their energy costs and reduce their carbon emissions. 

Our research shows that, despite consumer concern about energy costs and support for action against climate change, many homeowners are not engaged in looking for information, and many of those that do look for information are not accessing the tools that the government has developed. At the end of the process, very few are going on to improve the insulation of their homes. This is despite evidence that many of these homeowners live in poorly insulated homes.

There are a number of relatively straightforward and low cost actions that governments could take to engage more homeowners and improve the availability of information, including working more closely with local authorities, business and consumer groups. As this is a devolved area of policy, governments across the UK are taking different approaches and therefore will have different priorities depending on the actions they have already taken and the national context. Both Scotland and Wales already offer a more comprehensive service than is available in England.

Improvements to awareness, information and advice will support homeowners to start the process of improving the insulation of their homes. However it is important that governments also address other barriers including making it easier to find a qualified and trusted installer and appropriate financial support for those that need it - especially those living in fuel poverty. Without these additional changes, homeowners may be exposed to unnecessary risks and unable to afford some of the high upfront costs involved.

Engaging homeowners

• Governments should develop plans to raise public awareness about insulation and the resources available to support them, working with partners where this will improve impact. All UK nations have had campaigns on energy saving measures, however only the Scottish campaign specifically highlighted insulation measures.
  
  • Public Awareness Campaigns. Governments should run public campaigns that raise consumer awareness about insulation and the information and advice services that are available to support them.
  • Targeting messages for specific groups. Governments should target awareness raising interventions according to the age of householders, income and property type using messages that are relevant to these groups. The government can work with social media, civil society groups and local authorities to reach these groups.
  • Focus on trigger points. Governments should work with partners to focus awareness raising interventions around key events when households are more likely to consider installing insulation. These events include moving home, carrying out other home improvement projects, retirement and, increasingly in the future, changing a heating system. The government should work with estate agents, the construction industry and finance industry who are well placed to share information at these key moments.
  • Support for local engagement. Governments should coordinate and support local authorities and organisations with local networks that will be well placed to establish community initiatives that will make insulation better understood, accepted and, in time, an expected part of home improvements.

Information provision

• Governments should ensure homeowners have access to information about their home’s insulation needs and have access to support through the process of improving their home’s energy efficiency. Scottish and Welsh advice services are currently more advanced than in England with both offering online information and advice as well as a telephone advice service, and drop in centres in Scotland, though all services could be developed further.
  
  • The UK government should improve access to the government’s online home energy assessment tool and improve the user experience. The UK government should ensure that the tool is easily accessible on the GOV.UK website and conduct Search Engine Optimisation to improve the tool’s positioning in search results pages. User research testing should be used to understand why a larger proportion of those finding the tool are not using it. Homeowners living in Scotland and Wales should be referred to their national service.
  • The UK government should create a hub to signpost consumers to robust information and advice providers and One-Stop Shops. This will make it easier for consumers to find the information they need and enable them to choose whilst having the reassurance that the information meets an agreed standard. One Stop Shops (OSS) provide support for homeowners that are considering a larger retrofit project, including a home assessment, identifying and project managing installers and ensuring the household gets the best performance from their new system. The government should assess organisations before approval and provide basic information about the information and advice they provide and if they are a national or regional organisation. The Scottish and Welsh governments should consider whether there is scope for other providers to support or extend the services that they are already providing.
  • Reform the content, design and delivery of EPCs so they are more accurate and effective at informing homeowners about how to improve the insulation of their homes. EPCs should be more accurate and inform consumers about the energy use, cost and environmental impact of their home and the changes they could make. The design of EPCs should be accessible and allow for interactive elements that enable homeowners to easily take the next step in insulating their homes. There should also be effective oversight of EPC assessments to ensure they meet high standards.
  • An affordable energy audit and whole house plan. Governments should work with installers, energy companies and financial providers to investigate opportunities to provide affordable energy audits and whole house plans. This could be achieved through Building Renovation Passports or another solution. These more detailed actionable plans have the potential to reduce a key barrier for homeowners and improve demand for other services.
  • Coordinate and support local authorities and organisations with local networks that will be well placed to establish community initiatives that make insulation better understood, accepted and, in time, an expected part of home improvements.

Addressing cost barriers

• Governments should seek to make home energy efficiency improvements more affordable for all homeowners. This requires a differentiated approach according to homeowners’ ability to pay, the cost of the measures and the design of the financial product.
  • Support for Fuel Poor households. The UK and devolved governments should continue to support existing schemes that provide funding for the insulation of low income homes and extend them to support all fuel poor households. These schemes have tried and tested supply chains and processes and can quickly ramp up the delivery of insulation to households that need it the most.
  • The UK government should improve the LA and Supplier Flex scheme that allows local authorities and energy suppliers to identify fuel poor households that are not receiving means tested benefits. This could be through improvements to the scheme or increased capacity for LA’s use of the scheme.
  • Support for households self funding insulation work. Financial service providers should expand the green financial products that are available, with support from governments where required, including preferential green mortgages, property linked loans and on-bill schemes to support households that are improving the energy efficiency of their homes.

Making it easier to find a qualified and reliable installer

• The UK and devolved governments should support recruitment and training of installers and develop a straightforward process to help homeowners identify a qualified and reliable installer.
  
  • UK and devolved governments should work with the insulation sector to ensure there are enough qualified installers to meet demand for home insulation work and provide choice and competition in the market across the UK.
  • The UK government should make it easier for homeowners to find qualified and trustworthy installers. As recommended by the CMA the government should review the certification landscape. It should clearly signpost consumers to the scheme or schemes they should look for and ensure that the schemes the government recommends meet specific quality standards to ensure homeowners receive a good service including access to approved alternative dispute resolution schemes [58].
  • The UK government should ensure households are protected from rogue traders operating in the insulation market. There should be a review of Trading Standards in the context of the wider consumer enforcement landscape to ensure there are appropriate powers, resources and structures to effectively identify, investigate and take enforcement action against traders that are breaking the law.

Footnotes

 [1] The survey, carried out by Yonder Consulting on behalf of Which? in April 2023, was completed by 2,673 UK homeowners with bill paying responsibility  ↑

[2] In Scotland the government has set an ambition for all homes to be EPC C by 2033. In Wales the Fuel Poverty Plan 2021-35 sets targets for no households to be in severe fuel poverty, no more than 5% in fuel poverty and the number of at risk households halved from 2018, all by 2035  ↑

[3] (Accessed in 2023 but not currently available on UCL website) Installation uptake has dropped significantly since the early 2010s and are below the rate required to meet government targets for energy efficiency. Historical home energy efficiency (HEE) installation data from Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and projected data from the CCC quoted in Insulating Britain: If not now, when?, Phil Symonds, UCL, 2022  ↑

[4] Residential buildings were responsible for around 16% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK in 2021. The main source of emissions from this sector is the use of natural gas for heating and cooking. UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Final Figures BEIS, Feb 2023  ↑

[5] Tado survey of over 80,000 homes. Quoted in Mission Zero. Independent Review of Net Zero. Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP  ↑

[6] English Housing survey 2021 to 2022. DLUHC, July 2023  ↑

[7] Scottish House Condition Survey 2019, Welsh Housing Conditions Survey 2019, Northern Ireland Housing Condition Survey 2016  ↑

[8] Climate Change Commission, Sixth Carbon Budget  ↑

[9] 7% of homes in England are currently EPC D or below. The percentages are 58% in Scotland, 72% in Wales, 55% in Northern Ireland. See footnote 5 and 6 above  ↑

[10] Homes with an EPC rating of C or higher could still improve their home's energy efficiency but the gains would be harder to achieve  ↑

[11]  Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. (2023). English Housing Survey, 2020: Housing Stock Data. UK Data Service. SN: 9058  ↑

[12] (Accessed in 2023 but not currently available on Skipton Building Society website) A survey conducted by Skipton Building Society found that 84% of homeowners assume their home would have an EPC C or above  ↑

[13] DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker: Spring 2023. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 2023  ↑

[14] Household energy use: Applying behavioural economics to understand consumer decision-making and behaviour Elisha R. Frederiksn, Karen Stenner, Elizabeth V. Hobman, Jan 2015  ↑

[15] Heat and Buildings Strategy, UK government, October 2021  ↑

[16] Accelerator Cities, a project launched by the UK Green Building Council in 2020  ↑

[17] Mission Zero: independent review of net zero, Chris Skidmore MP, Jan 2023  ↑

[18] Key messaging for a just transition to zero emission homes, Existing Homes Alliance Scotland, June 2023  ↑

[19] How to build a Net Zero society Behavioural Insights Team, Jan 2023  ↑

[20] SEAI, Energy Savings Trust, Furbnow, Ecofurb, Snugg, Home Energy Scotland  ↑

[21] Which? (2023). From Drained and Desperate to Affluent and Apathetic. Understanding how the cost of living crisis is affecting UK households  ↑

[22] Household energy use: Applying behavioural economics to understand consumer decision-making and behaviour Elisha R. Frederiksn, Karen Stenner, Elizabeth V. Hobman, Jan 2015  ↑

[23] Behavioural insights on energy efficiency in the residential sector, SEAI, 2017  ↑

[24] Trigger Points: a convenient truth. Energy Savings Trust,  2011  ↑

[25] ibid  ↑

[26] The Sixth Carbon Budget, Climate Change Committee, December 2020  ↑

[27] Designing an ‘optimal’ domestic retrofit programme, Gillich, A, Sunikka-Blank, M and Ford, A 2017. referenced in Promoting retrofitting among homeowners in Ireland through a behavioural lens, SEAI. 2023  ↑

[28] The role of European municipalities and regions in financing energy upgrades in buildings, Marina Economidou, Nives Della Valle, Giulia Melica and Paulo Bertoldi  ↑

[29] Domestic retrofit survey of local authorities, Local Partnerships, 2021  ↑

[30] Your Home, Better website  ↑

[31] Local Energy Advice Demonstrator Project: details of organisations awarded funding, DESNZ, Aug 2023  ↑

[32] UK Gov. Find ways to save energy in your home  ↑

[33] Net Zero Scotland: Home Energy advice hub  ↑

[34] Insulate against soaring bills, Which? Magazine 2022 - based on a survey of 1,253 Which? members  ↑

[35] An analysis of errors in the Energy Performance certificate database, Leeds Beckett University 2019  ↑

[36] BEIS Public Attitudes Tracker (Winter 2021, UK)  ↑

[37] Improving Energy Performance Certificates: action plan - progress report, Nov 21 UK govt  ↑

[38] Building Renovation Passports: creating the pathway to zero carbon homes. Green Finance Institute, Mar 2021  ↑

[39] Construction statistics annual, Table 3.4a.ONS (2021) [accessed 8 July 2021]  ↑

[40] Evidence submission to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee inquiry, Energy Saving Trust, 2022  ↑

[41] SuperHomes was launched in 2017 and benefited from a grant from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, covering 50% of the operating costs. For more information see: One Stop Shops | National Home Retrofit Scheme | SEAI  ↑

[42] Some examples of One Stop Shops supporting homeowners that are self funding their retrofit include EcoFurb, Snugg, Furbnow, People Powered Retrofit and Retrofit West  ↑

[43] Keep Warm and Well in East Sussex  ↑

[44] The Levenshulme Area Based Retrofit Scheme run by the Carbon Co-op  ↑

[45] CMA (2023). Consumer protection in the green heating and insulation sector  ↑

[46] Exploring insulation options for your home: An insight into consumer’s experience researching home insulation. Which? (2023)  ↑

[47] Which? has developed a ‘Sustainable Consumption’ tracker survey that explores the attitudes and behaviours of UK consumers in relation to sustainability. It particularly focuses on nine consumer behaviour changes that have been identified by the Climate Change Committee (CCC) as being part of the pathway to Net Zero and examines the barriers that consumers face in making these changes  ↑

[48] Buying into the Green Homes Revolution, Santander, Oct 2022. Consumer attitudes towards greener homes, Natwest, April 2023  ↑

[49] Can you save money on a green mortgage? Which? May 2023  ↑

[50] Pacenation, US. Loans are repaid on the property tax bill over a period of up to 30 years. Municipal Sustainability Levy (GVR), Netherlands. Investment is paid back through a municipal level attached to the property  ↑

[51] Energy Company Obligation Great British Insulation Scheme Government response, March 2023  ↑

[52] Building Skills for Net Zero, CITB, March 2021  ↑

[53] Nationally representative survey of 4,587 consumers in England and Wales who had employed a trader to do work in their home. Home Improvements Experience Survey conducted by Yonder, on behalf of Which?, July 2021  ↑

[54] Each Home Counts An Independent Review of Consumer Advice, Protection, Standards and Enforcement for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Dr Peter Bonfield, Dec 2016  ↑

[55] Consumer Protection in the green heating and insulation sectors, findings report. CMA, May 2023  ↑

[56] On the state of Trading Standards, Journal of Trading Standards, May 2021  ↑

[57] Chartered Trading Standards Workforce Survey, 2020  ↑

[58] The CMA ‘Principles for standards bodies’ would be an important reference for setting standards  ↑

About

Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, here to make life simpler, fairer and safer for everyone. Our research gets to the heart of consumer issues, our advice is impartial, and our rigorous product tests lead to expert recommendations. We’re the independent consumer voice that works with politicians and lawmakers, investigates, holds businesses to account and makes change happen. As an organisation we’re not for profit and all for making consumers more powerful.