National Audit Office Report on the Warm Front Scheme
The National Audit Office (NAO) report published in February 09 confirms that the delivery of the Scheme has been “largely effective” and has provided value for money, backing up the results previously found by the Scheme’s independent quality assessors, White Young Green.
The NAO reported that customer satisfaction is high, with 86% of households assisted by the Scheme satisfied with the quality of the work done, and only 5% - 6% dissatisfied.
Renegotiated Contract
As part of a commitment to continuously improve the Warm Front Scheme, DECC have negotiated a number of changes to the contract with eaga, the scheme manager, that will deliver greater value for money and further improve the customer experience. Some of the new requirements that have been rolled out in 2009 and early 2010 include:
- Increasing the grant maxima: Households connected to the gas grid are now eligible for a grant of £3,500, up from £2,700 while those in areas off the grid can apply for funding up to £6000, an increase of £2000. This means fewer households have to make a contribution to the cost of installing the proposed heating and insulation measures. Currently less than one in ten households has to pay a contribution.
- Low Carbon Technology: The Scheme has been expanded to include the installation of low-carbon heat and power technologies such as solar thermal heating and air source heat pumps, which will help householders generate their own low-cost, renewable energy. These technologies will initially be trialed in small-scale pilot programmes.
- Increasing competition for work between installers: Up to 35% of work will be allocated to appointed installers at a new, competitively derived, set price. For the remaining 65% of work, Warm Front registered installers operating in that region will be able to bid via an electronic auction to establish the lowest price which will have been fully rolled out across England by the Summer. Where a customer contribution is required, individual households will be free to choose between the three lowest bidders and will have access to the installer’s performance rating.
- New surveying process: A new electronic CAD (computer aided design) system will have been fully rolled out across England by the summer 2010. This will provide a much clearer picture for householders of the installation work to be carried out.
- Tighter Quality controls: Tighter quality controls have been introduced to increase the standards of service that Warm Front provides. Some of the new requirements include an improved use of eaga’s installer performance rating system to ensure installers are pushed to higher standards and enhanced complaints handling requirements to make the Warm Front complaints process more accessible and visible for the customer.
Quality Assurance Assessor’s Report
WYG is the independent quality assurance assessor for the Warm Front Scheme. The Department commissions WYG to carry out routine reviews of the management of the Warm Front Scheme. The last two available reports are from April 2009 and October 2009.
The October 2009 report covers eaga’s management of the transition to the renegotiated contract, including findings on levels of customer satisfaction. Headline results of WYG’s customer survey were:
- 97.6% of all applicants would recommend the Scheme to friends
- 90% of all respondents were satisfied with the Scheme’s delivery
- 76% of those who did make a comment or complaint also confirmed that they would recommended the Scheme to a friend
- 91% of those asked agreed that the Scheme had benefited their personal or family health
Warm Front also offers a range of additional benefits to consider when comparing it with costs in the wider marketplace. For example:
- Warm Front offers a comprehensive service, including a two-year warranty, emergency breakdown cover after installation and (on gas systems) two service visits
- it insists on stringent standards of health and safety, environmental protection and quality
- it complies with all current building regulations and appropriate British Standards.