Retrofit pledge a start – but more support needed
The Government has announced plans to train 18,000 retrofit professionals in a bid to realise its energy efficiency ambitions.
The NRLA has flagged the nationwide shortage of tradespeople as a major obstacle to its plans to introduce new minimum energy efficiency standards, demanding all rental homes have a minimum EPC rating of C by 2030 and 2028 for new tenancies.
A consultation into the plans closed earlier this month, with the NRLA arguing that with a 166,000 shortall in skilled tradespeople – set to increase to 250,000 by 2030 – the plans are nothing but a pipedream, given there are 2.5million homes in need of upgrades.
What has the Government announced?
The Government has pledged to train up to 18,000 people with the skills necessary for installing heat pumps, solar panels, insulation and heat networks, through the extension of the Heat Training Grant and launch of the Warm Homes Skills Programme.
The Warm Homes Skills Programme, running until July 2026, will see the Government invest £8 million to subsidise training for up to 9,000 installers and retrofit professionals.
It will also invest £5 million in extending the Heat Training Grant to March 2026, supporting 5,500 new heat pump installers and 3,500 heat network professionals.
According to its figures more than 10,650 have already been trained up.
The NRLA has welcomed the move but said that more needs to be done.
NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle said: “We are pleased the Government has recognised the significant issues posed by the shortage of skilled professionals in these key areas, however, more investment is needed.
“According to the Heat Pump Association there will need to be an extra 22,700 full-time heat pumps installers alone to meet demand – which gives you some idea of the scale of the challenge.
“Indeed, we estimate for all 2.5million homes to reach the proposed minimum EPC C target 5,000 homes a day would need to be upgraded, something we consider an impossible task.”
“We will continue to lobby government for increased financial support for landlords and encourage them to go back to the drawing board when it comes to the timeframes.”
New consultation
The training announcement coincides with the launch of a new Government consultation on expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to give homeowners greater choice.
Proposed changes to the scheme could see families potentially access air-to-air heat pumps and electric heating technologies such as heat batteries, which are currently not eligible for grants under the scheme.
This would sit alongside new purchase and ownership models which could spread the cost of a heat pump over several years, or give households the opportunity to lease one for a monthly fee instead.
Manufacturing investment
Finally, the Government also announced a £4.6 million investment in Copeland, to manufacture more heat pump parts in the UK, which it says will support local jobs and boost economic growth as part of its Plan for Change.
More information
- Further details on the consultation, which will run until 11th June, can be found here.
- To read the NRLA guide on energy efficiency funding available to landlords click here.
- For more information on how to prepare for the changes click here.
- You can read more about the proposals here, with frequently asked questions available here.
- NRLA Chief Executive Ben Beadle has written to the Government about the new proposals. To read the letter in full click here.
- To watch a video outlining the new proposals click here.
- The NRLA’s award-winning Training Academy runs a course on energy efficiency for landlords and a new retrofit course.
- Part of the NRLA family, Safe2 is the leading provider of property safety certificates, including EPCs, with exclusive discounts available for NRLA members. Visit nrla.org.uk/safe2.
