Cheap loans for home solar panels, heat pumps and batteries announced

The UK government announced low and zero-interest loans for homeowners to install solar panels, heat pumps and batteries, and pledged £5 billion for free insulation and clean-technology upgrades for low-income and fuel-poor households as part of a £15 billion "warm homes plan".

Officials announced low and zero-interest loans for homeowners to install solar panels, heat pumps and batteries under a new energy upgrades programme. The plan also offers free insulation and other clean-technology upgrades for low-income and fuel-poor households, backed by £5 billion in public funding. These measures form part of the government's £15 billion "warm homes plan," which aims to cut household bills, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower emissions. Officials said the programme targets up to five million homes and aims to lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030. Key details: - Low and zero-interest loans will be available for homeowners to install solar panels, heat pumps and batteries. - £5 billion is allocated for free upgrades to insulation and clean technology for low-income and fuel-poor households. - Other allocations include £2 billion for consumer loans, £2.7 billion for a boiler upgrade scheme for heat pump grants, £2.7 billion for a warm homes investment fund, £1.1 billion for heat networks and £1.5 billion for other funding including devolved administrations. - The programme aims to upgrade up to five million homes and lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030. - The long-running Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme comes to an end in March and was reported to have left thousands of homes with botched insulation jobs. - The plans include upgraded protections for renters and support for landlords to make energy efficiency improvements. Summary: The measures are presented as a package to expand home energy efficiency and clean technology while reducing household energy costs over time. Details on implementation timing and delivery beyond the targets and the upcoming end of the ECO scheme in March were not fully outlined.