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JUST 3,000 homes have been upgraded to be eco-friendly in nearly a year as one of the Government flagship green homes scheme was dubbed a “big green fail”.
Cash-strapped councils can bid for a slice of a £500million pot to overhaul buildings so they are more energy efficient.
But the latest stats showed only a third of the 10,000 target by the end of August have been installed.
The Local Authority Delivery scheme also helps households on less than £30k to upgrade their homes.
The next tranche, expected to end by the end of March next year, will see another 15,000 upgraded.
Brits can install cavity wall or loft insulation, solar panels or low-carbon heat pumps to help slash their bills.
But local councils asked for the deadlines to be pushed back months to try and squeeze more installations in.
The Green Homes Grant – which was quietly ditched last year – led to just 31,900 measures being installed by July.
The stark figures lay bare the huge task ministers face upgrading millions of homes to meet net zero goals by 2050.
Boris Johnson is expected to confirm new grants for Brits to rip out their boilers and go more eco friendly in the coming weeks.
The Heating and Buildings Strategy has been caught up in Government amid a row about who will be eligible for extra help, and how it will all be paid for.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for green issues, told The Sun: “This is a big green fail – another government scheme ends with a whimper rather than a roar.
“Their poor record on green homes has meant they have only managed to insulate enough homes for a small town.
“Upgrading our homes is a win, win, win – cutting energy bills, reducing fuel poverty and slashing emissions all in one, but the Tories’ failure to help the poorest in our country is nothing short of shameful.”
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A BEIS spokesperson said last night: “We are investing £6.7 billion to protect the fuel poor and have extended the Warm Home Discount to an extra 750,000 households – which knocks £140 a year off bills.
“As a result of Government action, energy bills are lower today than they were in 2010, and 1.3 million fewer low-income households are now living in the least energy efficient homes.”
