2 Installing the right measures
10. The Warm Front Scheme provides funding for a
range of heating and insulation measures, the selection of which
by Scheme Managers is governed by rules set by the Department.
Warm Front offers a wider range of measures than was offered by
the previous Scheme. The Department explained that cavity wall
insulation was the most effective way of increasing energy efficiency
and reducing heating bills in domestic homes, although fitting
a gas condensing boiler and insulating the loft would also have
a significant impact. Some measures had very little effect, such
as two energy efficient light bulbs, which saved only £10
a year (Figure 3).[11]
11. The Department intended that the rules on the
provision of energy efficiency measures under the Scheme should
assist the greatest number of people in the most effective way.
The existing Scheme rules require, however, 'like for like' replacement
of boilers and heating systems. Thus for example heating systems
can only be replaced by those of a similar kind, so that a defective
warm air system has to be replaced with another warm air system,
even if a cheaper, more efficient option is available. Boilers
cannot be repaired or replaced unless they are broken at the time
the Warm Front technical survey is carried out. As a result, old,
inefficient but technically operational boilers, or boilers with
an intermittent fault cannot be repaired or replaced through the
Scheme, even though in some cases the defective boiler is later
condemned. The Department was working with Scheme Managers on
criteria to provide new or different systems more effectively,
and would change the like for like rule at the earliest opportunity.[12]
12. Homes with a low energy efficiency rating usually
require substantial investment to make them more energy efficient.
Where the estimated cost of these essential works exceeded the
Warm Front grant maximum or where the Scheme rules did not permit
the best solution, Scheme Managers had used funds provided by
electricity and gas suppliers through the Energy Efficiency Commitment
to supplement Warm Front grants.[13]
Under the Energy Efficiency Commitment, energy companies 'buy
back' measures originally provided by Warm Front, by providing
funds for these measures to the Scheme Managers. The Scheme Managers
use these funds to provide extra or more flexible assistance to
recipients.[14]
13. Delays in installing measures were a serious
problem for the Scheme, with over 50% of all jobs exceeding the
target times. In one case, a recipient faced a wait of nine months
for a central heating boiler, and hence the family had found their
own funds to do the work. The Scheme Managers noted that there
was a shortage of gas engineers, which created price pressures,
influencing companies' prioritisation of work. Average waiting
times had, nevertheless, fallen by 17% compared with a year ago
and more skilled engineers had been brought into the Scheme. In
addition, a new industry training scheme, linked to changes in
building regulations which come into force in April 2005, should
increase the number of trained engineers able to undertake work
for Warm Front.[15]
11 Qq 47, 81, 75-76 Back
12
Qq 28, 32-36, 54 Back
13
The Energy Efficiency Scheme is a government scheme, administered
by Ofgem, which began on 1 April 2002 and runs until 31 March
2005, and sets each energy supplier a target to save energy based
on the number of domestic customers they supply. Back
14
Qq 29, 51-52, 77 Back
15
Q 7 Back
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