'Green Tax' Could Add 10% To Household Bills

PA/The Huffington Post  |  Posted: Updated: 09/04/2012 13:44

Home owners could be blocked from carrying out minor improvements to their houses if they refuse to also make their houses more environmentally friendly, it has been reported.

Under "green" measures proposed by the government residents could be denied permission to replace windows and boilers or putting up conservatories unless they agree to carry out other work, such as loft or wall insulation, according to the Daily Mail.

The proposals, aimed at reducing the UK's carbon footprint, would hike up bills by 10%, the newspaper reports.

Those struggling to meet the extra cost could borrow cash under the Coalition's Green Deal scheme, repaying the amount through an extra charge on energy bills, it claims.

Officials at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) told the newspaper the measures, which are under consultation, would be "mandatory" unless homes already had a high energy performance rating.

The new rules would come into force from April 2014 if approved, the Mail said.

Homeowners wishing to replace a boiler or build a conservatory will have to notify their local authority, which can then tell them to carry out other works as a condition of receiving approval.

Measures listed in the Whitehall plans include loft or cavity insulation, hot water cylinder insulation and draught proofing, according to the Mail.

Conservative MP Tim Yeo, chairman of the Energy and Climate change Committee, criticised the plans.

He told the newspaper: "If people are spending their own money on a new boiler compulsory intrusion is not appropriate.

"Encouragement or information about the scheme is justified, but it should be made an absolute requirement to have builders inside your home."

An DCLG spokesman told the newspaper: "The reason we have picked these particular efficiency measures is because they are the cheapest and most effective in terms of making the money back in energy savings.

"This is a consultation and we have highlighted potential problems to encourage responses on how this may affect the public."

The Green Deal, a £14bn scheme backed by the private sector to insulate all of Britain's homes within 20 years, begins in October.

Homeowners will be able to borrow £10,000 to carryout the work and pay it back through their energy bills for up to 25 years.

A DCLG spokesman said later in a statement: "When a householder decides to change their boiler they would simply be also be asked to make other energy efficiency improvements to help reduce the cost of rising energy bills so their home is warmer and cheaper to run - typical savings could be as much as £150 a year, which is real help to hard-pressed families.

"If a household does choose to go ahead, the Government's Green Deal is there to help them carry out their improvements in a way that means they do not have to pay any upfront costs."

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Home owners could be blocked from carrying out minor improvements to their houses if they refuse to also make their houses more environmentally friendly, it has been reported. Under "green" measure...
Home owners could be blocked from carrying out minor improvements to their houses if they refuse to also make their houses more environmentally friendly, it has been reported. Under "green" measure...
 
 
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11:43 PM on 04/10/2012
Since when has any kind of permission been required to replace a boiler or double glazing ?

More money in taxes for the government, just like the taxing proposed for Motorway driving.
This comment has been removed.
karen1963yorks
My micro bio was empty. Good.
01:55 PM on 04/10/2012
I would love to save £150 a year but forcing me to spend £10,000 that i dont have in order to do it is insane. Why dont they just lend me the money for a new boiler and let me pay it back at student loan rates of interest. I dont expect it for free.
12:26 PM on 04/10/2012
DONT tell the goverment anything .hold everything back .its your right .they cant do a thing about it .do as the immigrants do and you will be let off as they will not want the hassle .they are after easy targets .tell them what you are doing and you are in it up to your neck .its about time we started to payback .stop letting this or any goverment dept pry on you .do your best to stop them
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
12:03 PM on 04/10/2012
It would increase building project costs, but subsequently reduce `household bills'.

Ensuring that the rest of a property is brought into compliance with current building regulations at the time of extension work is surely a very sensible one?
karen1963yorks
My micro bio was empty. Good.
01:57 PM on 04/10/2012
Of couse it is and as soon as my magic goose lays some more golden eggs I will do that.
I assume everyone reading this has an unlimited supply of money?
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
02:07 PM on 04/10/2012
The status of homeowner would seem to bestow certain financial status and responsibilities.

For god's sake: it's a bit of insulation, that any reasonable person would have installed anyway. It pays for itself in a winter. But, since reasonable people appear not to be sufficiently numerous, some form of enforcement seems to be necessary.
11:40 AM on 04/10/2012
And there home improvements are probably funded by the tax payers on there second homes paid by the tax payer. Roll on the election so I can vote away from the 3 main parties.
10:52 AM on 04/10/2012
Mr Cameron as a lifelong Conservative it is my belief that we need SMALLER Government with less of this type of stupid interference. Lets have less pandering to the EU and the crazy ideas of the Green's in our country, please take notice of the VAST MAJORITY who want none of these dumb rules and regulations. Great Britain is now fast catching up on the ridiculous Rules and Regulations that they have in the USA, these Rules and Regulations end up costing the General Public vast sums of money, they have very little effect in the grand scheme of things but the biggest problem that they have is that they STOP people from SPENDING money on things that they need and things that need to be sold to keep our economy moving forward!
10:05 AM on 04/10/2012
On the other hand what you could do is take advantage of free cavity wall and loft insulation now to avoid paying later. I needed insulation to install solar PV and I used a company called epc house who were brilliant. They came and inspected my home within 2 days and the insulation was installed last Thursday.
photo
rabidrightwatch
Green lefty & active environmentalist
10:54 AM on 04/10/2012
now now... you know most folk don't really want solutions... they want to whinge...
karen1963yorks
My micro bio was empty. Good.
02:01 PM on 04/10/2012
I would love solar PV and thought it was a great idea for over 20 years. However I dont have any spare cash. My house is old and unsuitable for cavity wall insulation.
Many people in the UK are POOR They dont have spare cash for building work.
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rabidrightwatch
Green lefty & active environmentalist
03:47 PM on 04/10/2012
Karen - it may help your plight to know that solar PV (if you have a suitably aligned roof, that is) significantly reduces quarterly bills.
You know, the bills that keep going up and up, that so many people moan so persistantly & woefully about?
Insulation, better fuel efficiency, solar PV & solar thermal offset these ever-rising prices, and the point is rapidly approaching when people must compromise (as each generation has before with other things).
So many people appear to think that things can only get better, but this has never been the case, and as far as energy costs are concerned, the sooner people make the decision to actually do something constructive about their own outgoings, the better.
There's lots of grants & practical help about, but if the personal priority isn't recognised, all the advice in the world won't help.
Better to bite the bullet sooner rather than later...
08:49 AM on 04/10/2012
How will they police all this?
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
12:04 PM on 04/10/2012
The planning process.
08:15 AM on 04/10/2012
This will only force people to keep using an old faulty boiler.
It may take a few people to die from carbon monoxide poisoning before the Government reconsider their stupid, mean trickery.
To use such a scheme to extract more money from hard up people who need to replace something which could become dangerous is irresponsible.
karen1963yorks
My micro bio was empty. Good.
02:02 PM on 04/10/2012
VERY well said
08:11 AM on 04/10/2012
I wonder how much the heating and lighting bill is on all the goverment offices and houses i.e Chequers Dornywood etc. I bet the heating is on full blast over the winter period.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
virtusfides
08:08 AM on 04/10/2012
There was I thinking that the government would make the planning more simple.I must be the simple one as by there new intention,just another taxing scheme, work that does not need permission now seems to be declared to be needing permission.Instead of making it more simple they making it more difficult.Again the typical Conservative stand, saying one thing and doing another. And then to realise that a large part of the non-rich population still think the Tories are doing great. Who are the dim ones here?
08:05 AM on 04/10/2012
Was it not the Conservatives that said "less goverment intervention into peoples private lives"
What business is it of anyone if you wish to change your boiler?

They must have someone in dark cupboard thinking up these weid schemes.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
whapgra
07:16 AM on 04/10/2012
Another Tory tax no surprise there.
01:42 AM on 04/10/2012
Since when has any kind of permission been required to replace a boiler?
02:22 AM on 04/10/2012
Especially with a more efficient one.
07:43 AM on 04/10/2012
but do you knpw condencing boilers are being taken out in Canada because they are causing more acid rain than the old boilers/ the goverment were paying for them to be replaced again
11:00 AM on 04/10/2012
As someone within the Plumbing Industry recently told me, New more efficient boilers are actually a bit of a con in that they do use less fuel for more heat but the actual cost of buying and installing the new boiler is so much money that it's cost in savings will never be achieved. he said much better to have your exsisting boiler serviced at least once a year and replace the odd worn out part of which there are actually very few to wear out! Another thing that needs pointing out is that Solar Panels take 32 years to pay for themselves in electricity produced, being that Solar Panels have a life of only they cannot therefore ever be honestly said to produce FREE ENERGY. Just another lie from the crazed Global Warming loonies!
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virtusfides
08:03 AM on 04/10/2012
Windows do not need permission either if done by a Fensa installer!
11:00 AM on 04/10/2012
Anyone can fit windows - anyone!