The failure of the Green Homes Grant Scheme was a disappointment and the Government must learn from these findings to ensure similar, future schemes work better for industry and consumers, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the release of the Public Accounts Committee’s report into the “underperforming” Green Homes Grants Scheme.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB said: “It is not surprising to read the Public Accounts Committee’s damning assessment of last year’s Green Homes Grant Scheme. By the experience of our own members, the FMB echoes the Committee’s criticisms and know that the scheme was too short-term in outlook. Critically, it did not allow sufficient time for builders to upskill and gain the necessary accreditations. For those that did make the leap, they ended up spending large sums of money only to have the scheme pulled from under their feet.”
Berry continued: “This stop-go green initiative undermined certainty for both the public and builders in trying to stimulate demand for energy efficient home improvements. The Government needs a National Retrofit Strategy which sets out a clear, long-term plan to upgrade our existing homes and would go some way to restore faith in green initiatives with the public and industry.”
Notes to editors
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is the largest trade association in the UK construction industry representing thousands of firms in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Established in 1941 to protect the interests of small and medium-sized (SME) construction firms, the FMB is independent and non-profit making, lobbying for members’ interests at both the national and local level.
The FMB is a source of knowledge, professional advice and support for its members, providing a range of modern and relevant business building services to help them succeed. The FMB is committed to raising quality in the construction industry and offers a free Find a Builder service to consumers.
