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Local lagging rates revealed for the first time

Annual carbon emissions data released A breakdown of how much insulation has been installed in homes across different parts of Britain under…

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Annual carbon emissions data released

A breakdown of how much insulation has been installed in homes across different parts of Britain under the Government’s energy saving scheme has been released for the first time today.

The new figures, published by the Energy Saving Trust, reveal how much loft and cavity wall insulation was professionally installed in each local authority and parliamentary constituency between 2008 and 2010 as part of the Government’s requirement on energy companies to help consumers save energy, the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT).

The top five local authorities that have seen the highest percentage of their area’s housing stock lagged over the first two years of the CERT cheme are:

  • Kirklees 22.5%; Isle of Anglesey 18%; Carmarthenshire 14.6%; Wyre 13.4%; South Ribble 13.3%.

The five local authorities that have seen the lowest percentage of their area’s housing stock lagged over the first two years of the CERT scheme are:

  • Westminster 0.2%; Kensington and Chelsea 0.5%; Tower Hamlets 0.5%; Hammersmith and Fulham 0.7%; Southwark 0.7%.

In separate statistics, the carbon dioxide emissions of every area in the United Kingdom are also released today. The annual statistics for 2008 mainly detail the emissions attributable to homes, businesses and road transport in each local authority area throughout England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The local carbon emissions statistics show:

  • Overall, 44% of end-user emissions assigned to local authority areas were attributed to the industrial and commercial sector, 30% to the domestic sector, and 26% to road transport. There are wide local variations on this mainly because of the economy and geography of different local areas.
  • Since 2007, emissions have decreased in 333 local authorities (77%). There have been increases in 101 authorities (23%).
  • In 2008, domestic end-user emissions were less than 2 tonnes per person in 3% of local authorities, between 2 and 2.5 tonnes per person in 51%, between 2.5 and 3 tonnes per person in 36% and above 3 tonnes per person in 10%.
  • The South East of England was the region that emitted the most carbon dioxide, at 64 million tonnes. Northern Ireland produced the least, at 16 million tonnes.
  • The North East of England emitted the most carbon dioxide per person, at 12.2 tonnes, and Greater London the least at 6 tonnes.

Commenting on the insulation statistics, Energy and Climate Change Secretary The Rt Hon Chris Huhne MP said:

“This is the first time that local data on insulation is published and lifts the lid on which parts of Britain have been insulated over the past two years.

“This shows that hundreds of thousands of homes across Britain are already benefitting from saving energy and money as a result of better insulation. But the figures also reveal that some areas are doing better than others, partly because some homes are more difficult and expensive to insulate.

“That’s why I’m reforming the energy efficiency regime so that more homes benefit in future - especially those that live in properties that are harder to insulate. I make no apologies for turning up the heat on energy companies, demanding that they work harder to make more homes warmer and cheaper to run.

“As part of our pledge to be the greenest Government ever, we want to help people go green in their lives by cutting the amount of energy they use. That’s what our new Green Deal will be all about - helping householders to save from day one on their energy bills.”

In June 2010, the Government announced that the CERT would be extended to 2012 which will result in a further 3.5 million homes receiving insulation, paving the way for the Green Deal coming into effect in 2012.

It is estimated the most energy inefficient homes in the UK could save, on average, around £550 per year by installing insulation measures.


Notes for editors

  1. The Energy Saving Trust report is available at: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/business/Business/Information-centre/Homes-Energy-Efficiency-Database-HEED/CERT-reports-from-HEED

  2. The EST report summarises where CERT insulation was installed between April 2008 and March 2010. It significantly improves transparency as it contains data for all regions (Scotland, Wales and England’s Government Office Regions), Local Authorities and Parliamentary Constituencies in GB. The next regional report will be published in January 2011.

  3. CERT is an obligation placed by Government on gas and electricity suppliers to deliver a reduction in household carbon savings across England, Scotland and Wales. It aims to help ensure the UK meets its statutory carbon reduction targets. In helping households take up energy efficiency measures, it helps more households benefit from reduced energy bills and increased thermal comfort alongside increased security of supply from reducing energy demand and local air quality benefits. Further details on the changes to CERT can be found here: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/consumers/saving_energy/cert/cert.aspx

  4. There are a number of reasons why some regions have benefitted more than others under CERT to date, for example:

  • The data provides only a snapshot of energy efficiency activity; different regions may benefit under other periods of the scheme.
  • Some local authorities can attract activity to their areas.
  • Suppliers will work where it is cheapest - close to where installers are based, where economies of scale exist, and in areas where access is not an issue.
  • Some areas have a high proportion of properties that are not suitable for standard loft and cavity insulation.
  • Some areas have large numbers of new homes that are built with better insulation and so do not require ‘CERT’ treatment.
  1. The official estimates of carbon dioxide emissions for the UK are produced on behalf of DECC and the Devolved Administrations by AEA as part of the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory. The full inventory estimates for the UK were published in February 2010, while separate figures for the Devolved Administrations were published in September 2010. The approach used to estimate local CO2 emissions is designed to be as consistent as possible with the national inventories, but does not supersede any of the official national estimates previously published.

  2. The statistics show emissions allocated on an “end-user” basis. This means that emissions are allocated according to where energy is actually consumed by householders and businesses, rather than where the source of the energy is located.

  3. The purpose of these estimates is to assist those using local emissions accounting as a tool in developing emissions reduction strategies and for raising awareness of greenhouse gas emissions as a global issue. Although there are limitations on the exactness of this data, used with care they can provide necessary help in setting priorities for local authorities in tackling climate change. The estimates and methodology report will aid those who are already working on local action, and encourage others to do more by providing a useful starting point for further work.

  4. The annual statistics on emissions on a local authority (NI 186 indicator) relies on centrally produced statistics to measure end user CO2 emissions in the localaArea from the Industry and Commercial Sector, Domestic Housing and Road Transport. The statistics and supporting documents can be found here: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_change/gg_emissions/uk_emissions/2008_local/2008_local.aspx

  5. The Coalition is aiding local action by taking forward the Local Carbon Framework pilots (LCFs) until the end of this financial year. We expect the LCFs to provide important information that will drive an evidence-based policy approach that encourages local initiative without imposing central burdens on local authorities.

  6. The Government announced in the Queen’s Speech it is to introduce legislation that will enable households to finance more expensive measures like solid wall insulation with no upfront costs. Through the Green Deal, energy efficiency work could be repaid through a charge on a home’s energy meter offset by the savings made on fuel bills, meaning many householders will benefit from day one. This Green Deal is expected to be available in late 2012.

Published 16 September 2010