Scrapping the Green Homes Grant Scheme requires a long-term strategy, says FMB

The Government’s decision to cancel the Green Homes Grant scheme will
damage the country’s progress towards net zero targets, says the
Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: ‘The misguided
scrapping of the Green Homes Grant scheme sends entirely the wrong
message to consumers and builders, and will harm the UK’s desire to be
seen as a global leader in tackling climate change.’

Berry continued: ‘Flaws with the scheme should have been addressed, in
consultation with industry, with a commitment to training. Instead we
have another example of a stop-go green initiative that undermines,
rather than creates, certainly for both the public and installers. The
Government needs to be more ambitious in its thinking and set out a
long-term plan to upgrade our existing homes to make them greener and
more energy efficient. A national retrofit strategy would address this
need and allow the Government to be taken seriously as well as regain
the trust of industry.’

Berry concluded: ‘Small, local builders who have spent thousands of
pounds becoming eligible for work under the scheme rightly feel let down
and angry. Without these workers on the Government’s side, we will
fail to retrofit our 28 million existing homes, missing the
opportunities for green growth, new jobs, and to level up.’