Government must find a way of replacing energy efficiency taskforce

Ministers must find a way to replace the recently axed energy efficiency taskforce, a former member has urged.

News the taskforce was to be scrapped after just six months has been met with dismay by various industry figures, including those working for fuel poverty charities.

Speaking to Utility Week following the government’s decision National Energy Action’s (NEA) chief executive Adam Scorer expressed his disappointment at the move but said he was more concerned about Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement to scrap the requirement for minimum energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector.

He said: “Like almost everybody on the taskforce [my reaction] is one of disappointment. Disappointment because of the short period of time [we had] but [also disappointed to end] the discussions and the initiatives that taskforce members had taken to try and find the most efficient, cost effective and dynamic route through all the moving parts around energy efficiency. So it is disappointing.

“I have to say that on balance the decision to not go ahead with the minimum energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector, from the fuel poverty angle, is way more material than the taskforce being disbanded. So my disappointment is much more there.”

Scorer added that the government must look to replace the taskforce.

The NEA boss said: “It’s an opportunity that is not lost, it’s an opportunity they’re going to have to remake because that engaged dialogue, focus, purposeful dialogue with all the different parties that have got influence on energy efficiency has to happen.

“You are going to have to replace it with something otherwise you have got policies smashing against each other. It was a great idea, it didn’t have long enough to prove itself, it’s untimely to disband it and they’ll need to find something to put in its place.”

Asked how the taskforce could be replaced, Scorer suggested it could be broken up into a series of “really focused smaller groupings” to take forward some of the issues that were circulating in the taskforce but said that this would not be as ideal as what has been scrapped adding: “But it just looks like you’re left with a much less focused, broader bilateral sectoral engagement on issues”.

He further added: “If I’m honest, for me one of the disappointing things was the abolition of the taskforce being linked to the Prime Minister’s statement that we are looking for a transparent and honest dialogue about how we get to net zero.

“That’s what was happening. I appreciate without the politics of reaching to the electorate but that’s what you had and I have no doubt that lots of consensus and lots of powerful ideas would have been generated by it and it’s a shame but there’s more than one way to skin a cat and the government’s going to have to find other ways of achieving that outcome.”

Also expressing her disappointment with the move was fellow taskforce member and chair of the government’s Energy Digitalisation Taskforce Laura Sandys.

Writing on Twitter she said: “Disappointed efficiency taskforce is disbanded and confused of government’s intentions on cost of living. If people are at the heart of the government’s agenda energy efficiency must be the very first priority to reduce citizens’ costs, improve energy security with less energy required and cutting carbon emissions.

“I have so enjoyed working with great people on the energy efficiency taskforce developing really important short, medium and long term measures. We hope government will adopt them but disappointed the comprehensive and strategic approach might not shine through.”

Meanwhile Matthew Cole, head of the Fuel Bank Foundation, said: “It’s a disappointment that the taskforce appears to have died so quickly. We were excited about the opportunity for the taskforce to forge a new direction of travel towards finally addressing fuel poverty.

“The thermal efficiency – or lack of it – of homes across the UK is one of the biggest drivers of fuel poverty and as we approach winter it is worrying that the taskforce appears to have had an abrupt end.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero added: “We would like to thank the Energy Efficiency Taskforce for its work in supporting our ambition to reduce total UK energy demand by 15% from 2021 levels by 2030.

“We have invested £6.6 billion in energy efficiency upgrades this Parliament and will continue to support families in making their homes more efficient, helping them to cut bills while also achieving net zero in a pragmatic, proportionate and realistic way.”

There have been mounting concerns recently about the fact winter has almost arrived and there is no sign of new support for the most vulnerable energy customers. Through our Action on Bills campaign, Utility Week has long been calling for targeted support, such as a social tariff, to be introduced.

Scorer was asked whether it is now too late for the government to introduce new support for customers ahead of this winter.

In response he said: “You are never too late to find support for customers and although the package was enormous last time round, it was a bit late as well. So you’re never too late but you get too late to do it well and that’s the dilemma we’re in. I myself am pretty convinced that they will have to find a way of making a direct financial intervention, money off the bills for the people in the most vulnerable circumstances.

“But the later you leave it, the less effective, the less thought through and the less methodical is the purpose and we risk ending up with what we had last winter which was a million people not getting the benefit they were entitled to and almost half a billion pounds being sent back to Treasury because they couldn’t find a way to spend it. So the cost of leaving it late is the cost of doing it well and people who should have been supported out of pocket.”