The English Housing Survey provides estimates[1] of the extent of different insulation measures in the English housing stock. These estimates suggest that 6.3m solid walls remain uninsulated, 5.4m cavity walls remain uninsulated, and 3.2m lofts have less than 100mm of insulation (this figure excludes homes that do not have a loft – for example, homes with a loft conversion). Only 1.9m homes currently have floor insulation.

It should be noted, particularly for higher cost measures like solid wall insulation, that not all these untreated properties need to be improved, as some of these improvements would not be considered cost effective, practical or affordable on an individual property basis. Energy efficiency is a matter for the devolved administrations, who will have equivalent estimates for their countries.

[1]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/898342/Energy_Chapter_2_Figures_and_Annex_Tables.xlsx, tabs: AT2.10, AT 2.11, and AT2.12

The Government has not made an assessment of the potential for nature-based insulation products to contribute to the decarbonisation of the built environment, the 2050 Net Zero Carbon target, or the impact on the residents of homes in which these products are use. The Government has also made no assessment of the benefits of showing consumers the potential relationship between individual products and energy savings.

To improve energy and heat efficiency in buildings usually requires a number of interventions, including improving insulation. Therefore, the focus of Government programmes that deliver this, such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, is on developing approaches to whole house retrofit, rather than on identifying the contribution individual products can make.

The Government has not made an assessment of the potential for nature-based insulation products to contribute to the decarbonisation of the built environment, the 2050 Net Zero Carbon target, or the impact on the residents of homes in which these products are use. The Government has also made no assessment of the benefits of showing consumers the potential relationship between individual products and energy savings.

To improve energy and heat efficiency in buildings usually requires a number of interventions, including improving insulation. Therefore, the focus of Government programmes that deliver this, such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, is on developing approaches to whole house retrofit, rather than on identifying the contribution individual products can make.

The Government has not made an assessment of the potential for nature-based insulation products to contribute to the decarbonisation of the built environment, the 2050 Net Zero Carbon target, or the impact on the residents of homes in which these products are use. The Government has also made no assessment of the benefits of showing consumers the potential relationship between individual products and energy savings.

To improve energy and heat efficiency in buildings usually requires a number of interventions, including improving insulation. Therefore, the focus of Government programmes that deliver this, such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, is on developing approaches to whole house retrofit, rather than on identifying the contribution individual products can make.

The Government has not made an assessment of the potential for nature-based insulation products to contribute to the decarbonisation of the built environment, the 2050 Net Zero Carbon target, or the impact on the residents of homes in which these products are use. The Government has also made no assessment of the benefits of showing consumers the potential relationship between individual products and energy savings.

To improve energy and heat efficiency in buildings usually requires a number of interventions, including improving insulation. Therefore, the focus of Government programmes that deliver this, such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, is on developing approaches to whole house retrofit, rather than on identifying the contribution individual products can make.

The Government has not undertaken such an assessment. The Government continues to take forward work to mitigate carbon emissions through measuring and reducing the embodied and operational carbon of the buildings and infrastructure it funds, and within the construction supply chain.

The Government has not made an assessment of the circumstances in which nature-based insulation products would deliver better outcomes in older homes. The Government remains committed to ensuring that all insulation products sold on the UK market are safe and perform to the required standard.

The Government has not undertaken as assessment of the amount of energy required for the manufacture of insulation products, or the impact this may have on global warming. The Government remains committed to ensuring that all insulation products sold on the UK market are safe and perform to the required standard.

The Government has not undertaken an assessment of the extent to which any type of insulation can be a source of pollutants, or the impact of these on the health of occupants of buildings.

Embodied carbon can account for a significant proportion of the total carbon emissions over the lifetime of a building, and reducing the carbon emitted during the construction of homes and buildings is an important part of our net zero transition. This particular aspect has not been quantified, but my Department is actively considering what can be done to reduce embodied carbon in buildings, and as part of that will be exploring a maximum level for new builds in the future.

The Government has not made a public assessment of the quantity and mix of insulation required to reach Net Zero. There are multiple pathways to achieving Net Zero, all with varying degrees of insulation installed. In pathways where less insulation is installed, more heat demand must be met by low carbon heat. The optimal mix will depend on a number of factors, such as the cost of low carbon heating technologies, and the ability for the electricity grid to meet peak heat demand.