Jarrow MP Kate Osborne signs joint letter fighting for cheaper air conditioning across UK
The MP said: “we need practical solutions that can help people stay comfortable throughout the year.”
Jarrow and Gateshead East MP Kate Osborne has joined more than 50 MPs in urging agencies to approve a Government-backed scheme which would make air conditioning more affordable for households across the country.
Directed to Lisa Cooke, Managing Director of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and Matt Gantley, CEO of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), MPs have signed an open letter calling on the MCS and UKAS to complete the remaining processes needed to make air-to-air heat pumps fully eligible under the Government's Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has already approved the inclusion of these heat pumps within the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. But months later, no households have been able to benefit because the agencies are yet to complete the accreditation process.
Once the processes are completed, eligible households will be able to access grants of up to £2,500 towards installation costs.
The group of MPs argue these heat pumps offer a solution to two growing challenges facing households. These are reducing emissions from home heating and adapting to rising temperatures driven by climate change.
Kate Osborne MP said: "As temperatures continue to rise and households face the twin challenges of high energy costs and overheating, we need practical solutions that can help people stay comfortable throughout the year.
"Air-to-air heat pumps are a proven technology that can lower emissions, improve energy efficiency and provide much-needed cooling during heatwaves.
"The Government approved their inclusion in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme months ago, but families are still waiting to benefit. We need the remaining accreditation processes completed as quickly as possible so households can access the support that has already been promised.
"This is about helping families cut bills, making our homes more resilient to a changing climate, and expanding access to technologies that support the UK's transition to clean energy.”
The letter asks MCS and UKAS to prioritise the completion of the remaining process to allow heat pumps to become eligible under the boiler upgrade scheme, reduce issues which slow the progress and regularly update the public until the scheme is fully available.