Defra and BERR jointly published the Sixth Annual Progress Report for the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy, which presents the statistics on fuel poverty in the UK for 2006 and provides an update on government policies and programmes to tackle the issue.
Key findings of the report include:
Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) were introduced to the rental market. An EPC is now required for all new tenancies signed on or after 1st October 2008.
Valid for 10 years, the EPC will provide landlords and tenants with information on the energy efficiency and carbon emissions of their property in an easy-to-understand fridge-style rating of A-G.
As part of the evaluation, the assessor will also provide a list of recommendations - suggesting cost effective improvements to raise the property's energy efficiency.
Since being introduced in 2007 for homebuyers, more than one million EPCs have been produced and registered in England and Wales - with the average rating being 'D'.
The Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband committed the UK to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% on 1990 levels by 2050.
In his address to the Commons, he said he backed the recommendations of Lord Turner's Climate Change Committee and the Government would make the target binding in law by amending the Climate Change Bill currently going through Parliament.
He also announced that he plans to bring an amendment to the Energy Bill, also currently before the House, to introduce a 'feed in tariff' to support small scale renewables, and to make a further announcement soon on encouraging renewable heat.
He further added that unless energy companies demonstrate action to end overcharging for many customers on pre-payment meters, he was prepared to consult on legislation to end unfair pricing differentials.
Earlier in October, the Committee on Climate Change concluded that the target should include:
In December, the Committee on Climate Change will advise the Government on the first fifteen years of Carbon budgets.
