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Written question asked by Elsie Blundell (Labour) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Polly Billington (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Energy: Housing

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to expand targeted home insulation schemes and protect vulnerable prepayment meter customers from winter energy disconnection risks in Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Answer

Tackling affordability is this Government's number one priority and we’ve made significant interventions to provide direct support with household energy bills.

At last year's Budget the Government removed policy costs from them worth an average £150 a year, with those reductions now factored into future bills for years to come.

In July, one of the new Prime Minister’s first actions was to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills for six months from 1 October, reducing the annual Ofgem price cap by around £45 and benefiting all households automatically, including those on fixed tariffs and prepayment meters.

These actions followed a significant expansion of the £150 Warm Homes Discount to six million households last winter, and confirming that level of support over the rest of the decade.

In terms of longer term support, the Government is expanding support for home energy upgrades including insulation through the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan, the biggest public investment in home upgrades in British history. Low-income households can access fully-funded grants through the Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
22745
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Housing Energy Insulation Meters Heywood and Middleton North
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk