TrustMark has launched its new Licence Plus Scheme designed to enable more quality retrofit energy efficiency improvement installations to be made to the millions of homes across the UK.
The 19 million homes in the UK have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or less, which needs to be improved to at least C to help meet the government’s climate change commitments.
The Licence Plus Scheme will enable more TrustMark Registered Businesses to take on domestic retrofit energy efficiency work under a recognisable TrustMark framework of compliance and consumer protection.
TrustMark has announced this just as rising energy prices create a significant and growing demand for businesses that can carry out these works to quality standards.
Simon Ayers, CEO of TrustMark, explains: “While the package announced by the Chancellor to cap energy bills is welcome, households still have higher energy bills to pay. For millions of homes, much of this already-paid-for energy is going straight out of the building.
“Improving energy efficiency through quality retrofitting is key to helping reduce this burden but it must be done by competent tradespeople working to measurable standards to ensure the result fits the need. The demand for businesses has never been higher and will only increase given the announcement by the Chancellor on Friday that not only supports the existing, but also brings forward new obligations on energy suppliers worth £1 billion – with additional amounts expected – to start in April 2023.
“This demand, coupled with the current skills shortage, means we have to look for broader solutions. We believe that the Licence Plus Scheme can be part of that solution.”
He continued: “Initially, our focus is on working with Schemes in the energy sector to help alleviate issues around the current energy crisis. Once this first stage is embedded, we’ll then look to extend this to other sectors we work with as soon as practicable. We believe that businesses will see the opportunities this can bring and how it will support the development of skills to future-proof the industry.”
