Plans to speed up the fitting of home insulation in millions of houses across Britain has been unveiled by council leaders.

At a meeting with Communities secretary John Denham, councils said that if the current array of government schemes for making homes greener were combined into a single pot of money, councils could save £2bn and speed up plans that will slash fuel bills for millions of people.

There are six different government schemes, totalling almost £7bn, which aim to make homes more energy efficient. These are administered by energy firms and paid for through extra charges on people's energy bills. But councils say that energy firms are concentrating too much on homes that are cheap and easy to insulate and failing to help those most in need.

Town halls want to build on the example of Kirklees Council, which has offered to insulate every home in its area for free. They say that a council-led scheme to give homes across Britain 'green' speed up the fitting of home insulation which saves households, on average, £220 a year. Such a scheme would cut £2bn from current plans to put basic insulation into every home.


Councils said that if the government gives them control over the money which is currently available to energy suppliers, they will commit to making big cuts to carbon emissions in their area which will boost home energy efficiency and save householders money.

Cllr Richard Kemp, deputy-chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA), said: "The government has created an array of schemes aimed at cutting the carbon emissions from people's homes and these are paid for by extra charges on all of our fuel bills. Yet energy companies are still looking for the cheapest option rather than focussing on helping those most in need.

"Millions of homes across Britain are still draughty, cold and energy inefficient. Councils want to make homes fit for the 21st century. Home insulation saves the average family around £220 a year. Insulating lofts is a fast, effective way of helping people cut their fuel bills but at the moment, many homes are missing out.

"Too much money is being wasted on a raft of confusing green schemes which overlap and waste money. Some of the most vulnerable people who need help insulating their homes are not getting it.

"A national insulation programme led by councils would dramatically reduce carbon emissions and help save people money."

(CD/BMcC)