Slash VAT to help households go green, Cllr Deirdre Costigan urges minister

Councillor Costigan urges him to take radical action to reduce emissions from home heating, including slashing VAT on green home improvements and to work closely with local government on the upcoming national strategy for reducing emissions from home heating.

She said: “As a council, Ealing has set out an ambitious and radical programme to reach net zero. Through this, we will do whatever we can to support local households to reduce emissions from heating, which make up 14% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“I am deeply concerned, therefore, to read reports suggesting that the national strategy will not incorporate a reduction or removal of VAT on green home improvements.

“A reduction in the VAT rate on green improvements has the potential to knock thousands of pounds off the costs that households might face.

“It is obviously important that there are also targeted schemes aimed at assisting lower-income households and social housing providers to improve household energy. However, these would not be sufficient on their own. The costs of retrofitting are such that without government assistance, they will fall beyond the means even of relatively financially comfortable households.”

Read the full letter here.