The main 6 British energy companies are preparing to make a final push in an attempt to meet their energy efficiency targets. They are doing this by urging people who own their homes to get free loft and cavity wall insulation worth £350 before the government backed scheme ends at the end of 2012.
The energy companies have to meet their carbon emissions reduction targets (Cert) which have been set by the Department of Energy and Climate Change in a bid to make UK homes more energy efficient.
The companies have to of provided a target number of installations of the insulation by the end of the year. Most of the companies are believed to have reached their targets or be close to doing so.
British Gas is even offering insulation to non-customers in a bid to meet the target. If British Gas or any of the other companies fail to meet their targets they could be fined by Ofgem, the energy regulator by as much as 10 per cent of their annual turnover, although this is highly unlikely.
Once the offer of free insulation expires it is not expected to be repeated, leaving just those people aged over 70 and those on some benefits entitled. The insulation could save people as much as £305 in energy costs every year.
To qualify for the free insulation you must own your home and have less than 60mm of lost insulation already in place. The insulation must also cover at least a third or your wall or loft space. The biggest issue for many home-owners is the necessity to clear their loft space to be able to get the insulation. While the materials and labour are free for the insulation itself, this isn’t the case for emptying the loft or roof space.
If you do not own your own home but would still like to have the money saving benefits from the offer it is possible to request a form from your energy supplier for the landlord to fill in which could still get the insulation fitted.