Insidethis issue 3 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2026 VOLUME 63 ISSUE 10 Editor’s
Viewpoint by Chris Jones
Mind the funding gap
Following the numerous stories about bodged insulation upgrades and the poor quality of work carried out under the long-running ECO scheme, now in its fourth iteration, perhaps it’s not too surprising that Chancellor Reeves used her Autumn Budget to announce that access to funds will come to an end next April. By removing the ECO levies from energy bills, she was also able to promise an average £150 reduction in our annual energy costs and thereby earn some much-needed popularity points in the process. With such an ‘easy win’, and at a time when the cost of living crisis shows no signs of easing, some might have questioned her political intelligence were she to pass up the opportunity to make a decision that was likely to receive very little negative coverage. However, while a small drop in our energy bills has been widely
welcomed by UK households, some manufacturers and contractors who have been working on ECO-funded projects have warned of a supply-chain collapse as the curtain comes down on the £1.7 billion a year programme. A lack of quality control and government scrutiny has undoubtedly enabled some unscrupulous insulation companies to profi t from the system, but over the years the money available from ECO has also enabled many thousands of low-income households to benefi t from heating upgrades and the installation of renewable technologies. The government has promised to introduce alternative funding mechanisms in the near future, but the fi gures mentioned fall well below that which had been available under ECO. The ECO scheme may not have been perfect, but it did at least
give the industry some confi dence that the government took the need to upgrade the country’s ageing housing stock seriously – and any move that undermines that confi dence could lead to investors moving away from the sector, with inevitable concerns about potential job losses. It is therefore hoped that the New Year will not already have grown old before the much-delayed Warm Homes Plan fi nally sees the light of day.
Special Features 27
Training & Education
Why practical training courses are vital for both existing installers and industry new-comers
Regulars
04 News Review 10 Horror Show 10 People on the Move 11 Gadgets & Tools 12 Business Matters 16 Merchant News 17 Energy Saving Awards 26 Products in Action 40 Product News
Products in Action
42 Competition 43 Directory 43 Information Centre
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See page 26 for the latest case studies 34 Water
Heating & Cylinders
Installing Vaillant’s new uniSTOR plus hot water cylinder – an industry professional gives his views
37
Underfl oor Heating
Why modern underfl oor heating systems offer some clear benefi ts for both homeowners and installers
Contributors
Griff Thomas Training & Education
28
Why training and installer competence is crucial to the growth of the UK heat pump market
Craig Dolan Water Heating & Cylinders
34
How domestic hot water heat pumps can provide an energy effi cient, low- carbon solution
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Greg Cooper Underfl oor Heating
38
Highlighting some of the key components that can help to ensure the success of a UFH system
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