Government finds 'systemic failure' with solid wall insulation fitted under official schemes – here's updated info if your home's affected

Miatta Fahnbulleh, the minister for energy consumers, said in a statement that preliminary evidence from audits into the schemes suggests "systemic failure", with "a majority" of properties that had solid wall insulation measures installed not having these done "to the appropriate standard".

Some instances of poor quality work, including inadequate ventilation or roof-line extensions, could over time lead to issues including damp and mould, added Ms Fahnbulleh. The Government's audit is due to complete later in the summer, with the results published this autumn.

It follows a report published in January by Trustmark, an independent body which oversees tradespeople working in homes. Trustmark had found "significant examples" of solid wall insulation installed under two major Government schemes "that did not meet the required standard".

Botched solid wall insulation installed under Government-backed schemes

The issues relate to solid wall insulation installed under the 'Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4)' and 'Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)' initiatives. These were launched by the last Government in April 2022 and May 2023 respectively, and have continued under the current Government.

The schemes enable eligible households to apply for free energy-efficiency upgrades, including solid wall insulation, through their energy supplier or local council. They're intended to keep your home warm and lower your bills.

Solid walls (without gaps or cavities) are most common in properties built before the 1920s. Insulating them involves adding a layer of material to the inside or outside to trap heat and reduce the need to use your heating as often.

But Trustmark's initial investigation found:

• Exposed insulation or poor ventilation that could, if not fixed, lead to damp and mould over time.

• A "very small number" of properties raising serious health and safety concerns, such as incorrectly fitted wiring.

• More minor issues, such as missing or incomplete paperwork.

Following the findings, 39 installers were suspended from installing new solid wall insulation in people's homes, though the Government isn't publishing a list of these suppliers. However, if you've had solid wall insulation fitted under either the ECO4 or GBIS scheme since April 2022, it's not necessarily faulty or unsafe, so don't panic.

You should schedule an inspection if you are contacted by an official auditor

Since January, energy regulator Ofgem has contacted all 60,000 households that have had solid wall insulation fitted under ECO4 and GBIS. The Government has confirmed that "thousands of households have already had on site checks conducted" and that "90% of the poor-quality installations that were identified in the initial audits conducted by Trustmark have been remediated".

However, the Government has said that appointed auditors have been unable to carry out inspections on some properties. It is encouraging anyone who is contacted by one of Ofgem's official audit partners to schedule an audit, even if you do not think there is anything wrong with your installation.

If you have not yet scheduled an inspection of your solid wall insulation, an official auditor will contact you by phone or email. They will quote your Unique Measure Reference Number (UMRN), which you can find in the letter you should have received from Ofgem in January. This number can also be found in your original installation paperwork.

Stay alert to scammers using this as an opportunity to steal your personal or financial information. Do not allow anyone into your home if you are unsure if they are part of Ofgem's official inspection work.

You WON'T have to pay for any inspections or remediation work

Where issues are found, the installer will be required to fix the problem(s) as soon as possible, at no cost to you. Installers will then need to provide evidence to TrustMark to prove the issues have been properly fixed.

If your installer has stopped trading, you should be covered by a guarantee that will cover costs up to £20,000. The details of your guarantee provider should be set out in the paperwork you got at the time of the initial installation, and the Government is encouraging affected households to act on this.

We asked the Government what you can do if you don't want the remediation work to be done by the same installer. It didn't answer directly, but it told us you can contact TrustMark for more information.

Contact the dedicated helpline if you have concerns

If you have concerns about the solid wall insulation installed in your property under ECO4 or GBIS, or questions about the process for seeking remediation, you can contact Ofgem through its dedicated points of contact:

• ECOhelp@ofgem.gov.uk.

• Freephone 0808 169 4447 (lines open 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays).

Other energy-efficiency measures are thought to be unaffected

The Government said it's "confident" that the issues identified by Trustmark are specific to solid wall insulation installed under the ECO4 and GBIS.

This is because there is a "stronger system of checks and balances" in place for other energy efficiency schemes. Ms Fahnbulleh said: "Current data suggests there is not a widespread issue in those schemes [Local Authority Delivery, Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and the Home Upgrade Grant] and where non-compliant installations have been identified, the majority of these have been resolved."

The Government added that further spot checks on other measures and schemes will continue as part of the audit.