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A UK government official has described a failed net zero initiative, which has led to dampness problems in thousands of residences, as the outcome of “serious failings at every level.” The National Audit Office (NAO) recently revealed that nearly all—98%—of the 23,000 homes fitted with external wall insulation under two separate schemes are likely to experience damp and mould issues if no remedial action is taken. The report further highlighted that incorrect installation of insulation posed immediate health and safety risks to hundreds of homeowners.
Jeremy Pocklington, the senior civil servant at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, addressed these findings while appearing before Parliament, condemning the failures as “unacceptable.” The insulation problems extend to roughly one-third of homes that received internal insulation through the ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme, which are available to residents across England, Scotland, and Wales. Over the past two decades, government schemes have insulated more than three million homes, expending billions in public funds.
During his testimony to the Public Accounts Committee, Mr. Pocklington expressed sympathy for the affected families and households. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, chair of the committee, described the NAO report’s conclusions as the “worst” he had encountered in twelve years and accused the responsible department of negligence. Mr. Pocklington acknowledged inadequate oversight by Trustmark—the organization charged with ensuring insulation quality—and admitted that the department “did not oversee these schemes in the way that they should have done.”
Independent MP Rupert Lowe characterized the situation as a “systemic failure of a government department.” Mr. Pocklington concurred, stating, “there are serious failings at every level of the system that are systemic,” and admitted the department “didn’t take enough steps to ensure that Trustmark was set up to deliver appropriately.” He also cited the pressures faced by the department due to the Covid pandemic and the impact of the war in Ukraine on energy prices. Addressing concerns over government accountability, Labour MP Clive Betts questioned whether the department would take responsibility for all homeowners mistreated by energy efficiency programs beyond just those since 2022. Mr. Pocklington responded that the current focus remains on the two schemes implemented after 2022. When asked if the government would “stand behind” affected homeowners, he emphasized that the government’s role is “to ensure that the schemes we put in place operate effectively and that there are appropriate systems of consumer protection in place.”
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