London residents could see their fuels bills slashed under a Green Mayor with Siân Berry’s plan to provide free insulation for all homes that need it.
Siân Berry, the Green Party’s candidate for London Mayor, visited Croydon on Friday 22nd February to launch the London Assembly campaign of Green Party candidate for Croydon and Sutton, Shasha Khan.
Croydon’s homes have the worst energy efficiency ratings in London, and London itself is lagging behind on insulation compared with the rest of the country.
Sian said, “At a time when London residents are feeling their household incomes squeezed due to fuel price hikes and increased inflation it is clear to me that we need our homes properly insulated in order to save on heating bills and to cut CO2 emissions.
“There’s no excuse in a 21st century city for having widespread fuel poverty, with people having to pay huge chunks of their income just trying to keep warm. There’s no excuse for winter deaths of elderly Londoners who could have been saved by something as simple as loft insulation. And there’s no excuse for government failure to cut CO2 emissions, or for their willingness to blame ordinary people instead of their own inaction.
“As oil and gas get scarcer, we can expect to see more and more rises in the cost of heating. Londoners have an opportunity on 1 May to insulate themselves from the cold and the cost by voting for my plan to insulate every home that needs it for free.
Shasha said: “Sutton households have one of the worst ratings for energy efficiency in London (1). Now that we are required to provide Home Information Packs when putting our houses on the market Sutton homeowners could lose out when selling their house.
“Under our free insulation scheme, every single home in London that needs insulation will get it, free of charge. This will slash fuel bills, making London living more affordable and healthier. We’ll also put a real dent in our carbon footprint and help to ensure a future for our kids.”
40% of London’s CO2 emissions come from housing, and more than 1 in 20 Londoners have to spend over 10 per cent of their income trying to keep warm.
Londoners on benefits qualify for free insulation under measures introduced by the Green Assembly Members as a condition of their support for the Mayor’s budget. Siân’s scheme will remove this means testing, as well as introducing a comprehensive outreach programme to encourage take-up.
The Green Members of the London Assembly, Jenny Jones and Darren Johnson, have also secured funding to pilot detailed help with paperwork for householders in Lewisham who wish to insulate their homes and generate their own power; Siân will extend this service city-wide, and make low-cost loans available to pay for small-scale renewable energy generation on homes and businesses.
Energy efficiency (SAP) ratings for private housing in London are listed below. Houses are rated on a scale of 0 – 120, with higher numbers being more efficient. Most new homes receive a score between 75 and 100.
Croydon 43
Richmond upon Thames 45
Greenwich 46
Sutton 46
Bexley 47
Enfield 48
Haringey 48
Camden 49
Harrow 49
Hounslow 49
Kingston upon Thames 49
Newham 49
Wandsworth 49
Bromley 50
Hackney 50
Havering 50
Lewisham 50
Ealing 51
Hillingdon 51
Redbridge 51
Brent 52
Lambeth 52
Merton 52
Kensington and Chelsea 53
Barnet 54
Hammersmith and Fulham 54
Barking and Dagenham 55
Islington 55
Southwark 55
Tower Hamlets 56
City of London 57
Westminster 58