Energy efficiency training: Skills shortage will cost the UK economy billions of pounds
The UK could be facing a shortage of 250,000 tradespeople by 2030 costing our economy £98 billion, according to research by home improvement company, Kingfisher.
Fuelling the shortage is an increase in demand from consumers looking to improve the energy efficiency of their homes by installing measures such as insulation, heat pumps and solar panels. However, one-in-five homeowners are struggling to find a skilled tradesperson to deliver energy saving measures and have had to cancel or postpone their project.
What is driving demand for energy saving measures?
In recent years, there’s been a greater awareness of the benefits of improving the energy efficiency of our homes – including everything from draught-proofing and using LED lightbulbs, to installing loft and wall insulation and/or an air source heat pump (ASHP).
Energy price rises in early 2022 and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis have seen budgets squeezed across the board. Young families and those with mortgages were hit particularly hard by interest rate rises in the latter part of 2023. Housing costs have doubled for those age 25 – 39 in the past 30 years, amounting to 36% of net household income.
Investing in home energy efficiency measures is a smart move for homeowners, making homes warmer, using less energy and reducing monthly running costs.
Is grant funding available for energy efficiency measures?
Funding is available through various government-backed schemes:
ECO4
Grants are available for the least energy efficient homes with an EPC of D – G. ECO4 aims to deliver a whole house retrofit approach, funding new heating systems, including ASHPs, loft and cavity wall insulation and other measures designed to keep homes warmer for less. Under the LA Flex element, councils have been given discretion to widen eligibility criteria so the scheme can be tailored to suit different locations. A great opportunity for installers to upskill to assess homes for retrofit measures and deliver high-quality home insulation.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Grants are available for £7,500 for homeowners who want to replace gas or oil heating with an ASHP. The scheme has just been awarded a further £1.5 billion to take it through to 2028, but we need more heat pump engineers. Find out more about ASHP training.
New Energy Efficiency Scheme
We are expecting further details of a new £400 million energy efficiency grant that will fund measures such as insulation and replacement radiators alongside heating upgrades from2025. It’s great to see the government supporting consumers to take a ‘fabric first’ approach and get the best out of their heating systems.
Energy efficiency training – up to 100% off
We have launched new energy efficiency courses to help installers upskill to meet growing consumer demand and fill gaps in the workforce, including recognised ABBE qualifications for experienced building services engineers looking to become Retrofit Assessors and Co-ordinators, and practical training in insulation and draught proofing measures. Home insulation training is suitable for anyone, including budding DIYers.
Thanks to government, we are offering these courses discounted up to 100% for a limited time only.
Register your interest today:
