P-06-1314 Insulate all Welsh homes against both the heat and the cold...introduce grants that are open to all!, Correspondence – Petitioner to Committee, 11.12.22

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the Ministers comments. Firstly I welcome the support that the Welsh Government has given to people who are on benefit but would point out that there are hundreds of thousands of people in Wales who receive no benefit and are working but are in fuel poverty.

If we are serious about tackling fuel poverty and climate change then the Welsh Government need to expand its home insulation grants to all properties in EPC rating of E, F or G. Supporting homeowners with a partial grant of 50% or even 25% would assist people to do the right thing and select the right insulation for their property (following an expert survey).

We should not allow the experience of Bridgend and Caerphilly Council's where we are still dealing with the legacy of some very poorly designed and delivered schemes from a decade ago, to dominate future home insulation grant schemes.

It's shocking that the Welsh Government's energy efficiency improvement scheme will take 135 years to insulate every fuel poor household in Wales.

That means implementing an emergency nationwide home insulation programme and introducing green upgrades to homes. This would create 10,000 full time equivalent jobs across Wales over 15 years and generate around £2.2bn for the Welsh economy in addition to reducing the £67 million per year spent by the Welsh NHS on conditions caused by poor housing.

The Welsh Government needs to take action to insulate Welsh homes who need it. It is not just the correct environmental policy but also the correct moral policy for the people of Wales."

Robert Curtis