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Minutes of CFP meeting, May 2024

Updated 28 January 2025

Committee on Fuel Poverty (CFP) Meeting Minutes – 20 May, 2024

Members Present (online):

• Caroline Flint (Chair)
• Anu Singh
• Liz Bisset
• Anthony Pygram
• Gordon McGregor
• Belinda Littleton

Invited guests in attendance (online):

• officials from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)

Agenda Item 1: Chair’s Welcome, Members Interests and Minutes of Last Meeting

The Chair welcomed members. No new member interests declared. Members cleared minutes from March 2024.

Agenda Item 2: Stakeholder Engagement

LB attended Sustainable Energy Association annual reception on 5 April 2024.

Agenda Item 3: Action Log

No action log updates.

Agenda Item 4: Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) team provided a summary and update of the scheme, outlining the objectives of the SHDF.

Key successes from SHDF Wave 1 included: awarding £19 million more than the original budget of £160 million across 69 project bids; treating around 16,000 properties (predominantly energy efficiency measures; providing an average fuel savings of £203 per home.

The SHDF team noted that each wave of SHDF integrates lessons learnt from previous iterations and they work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and sector organisations to ensure best use of funding available.

The SHDF team explained that one of the first learnings from the SHDF Demonstrator was that tenant involvement was key to ensure effective delivery and installation of measures.

Agenda Item 5: Smart Metering Implementation Programme (SMIP) Presentation

The team from the Smart Metering Implementation Programme (SMIP) provided background information on the role and function of smart meters. SMIP detailed the benefits of smart meters, including: providing accurate/automatic bills and data for consumers to make better decisions about energy use, making it easier for prepayment customers to top up and monitor their meter balance, allowing energy suppliers to identify when prepayment customers go off supply (and can then offer those individuals supports), providing access to more innovative products/tariffs (moving customers away from peak hour pricing and demand), and supporting the integration of household renewable technology into the grid.

SMIP reported that, by the end of 2023, there were 34.8 million smart and advanced meters in Great Britain, with the proportion of smart meters operating in smart mode up to 88.6%. Research from Ofgem and Smart Energy GB shows that 67% of customers are satisfied with their smart meters, and 64% would actively recommend a smart meter.

Note: Since the presentation, more recent official statistics have been published which show that, by the end of March 2024, there were 35.5 million smart and advanced meters in Great Britain, with the proportion operating in smart mode at 89%.

SMIP explained that Smart Energy GB are the national, not-for-profit consumer engagement team who lead a range of campaigns, partnerships, and PR/stakeholder engagement work to support the take-up of smart meters.

SMIP provided evidence to show that smart meter installations for fuel poor households are in line with the overall rollout but recognised the importance of tackling rejection and overcoming barriers to installation. The positive impacts of smart meters for those in vulnerable circumstances can be greater than those experienced by the overall population.

A member of the CFP referenced media suggesting that 3.9 million smart meters are not providing automatic readings to suppliers and asked if this a barrier for fuel poor households. SMIP clarified that the 3.9 million smart meters are recording meter readings as a traditional meter does, but are not automatically sending the meter readings back to the energy suppliers. The Programme is not complacent and works with energy suppliers to reduce the volume of meters not operating in smart mode. Consumers experiencing a loss of smart services should speak to their energy supplier for further advice.

The CFP asked about households having to pay to replace their in-home displays if lost/broken. SMIP shared that support is available after the energy suppliers’ 12-month obligation period to repair and replace, through the voluntary in-home display replacement principles, which suggest that those on the priority services register should receive replacement in-home displays for free or at the lowest possible cost, funded by energy suppliers. SMIP noted that an in-home display is not required to experience benefits from smart meters, and that a household does not have to have to an in-home display if they do not want one.

A member of the Committee asked if social housing should have a mandatory roll out of smart meters. SMIP suggested that voluntary take-up of smart meters is more successful in driving engagement with energy use, and in other countries the mandatory approach has met with resistance. Furthermore, a mandatory approach assumes the tenant would be the blocker to delivery, which is not always the case. Evidence (including from Smart Energy GB and the English Housing Survey) shows that the proportion of consumers in social housing with a smart meter is in line with the GB population.

The Committee thanked the team for their presentation and time.

Agenda Item 6: Energy Schemes Presentation

DESNZ analysts provided a presentation and analysis of energy efficiency scheme delivery across England. Key findings included: 1) most regions have a share of total homes upgraded that is roughly proportional to the depth of fuel poverty in the area, 2) the Local Authorities (LAs) with the highest rates of fuel poverty worst affected are located primarily around the West Midlands and Yorkshire, and 3) in the worst affected LAs, fabric measures and heating controls were the most common measures installed through government schemes The Committee thanked DESNZ analysts for their presentation.

Agenda Item 7 and 8: Fuel Poverty Strategy Review/DESNZ Update

DESNZ presented an update on the Fuel Poverty Strategy Review and current fuel poverty schemes and priorities.

AOB

The next meeting will be held on 29 July 2024.