A £1 billion home insulation scheme will take 60 years to meet its three-year target to help around 300,000 households, MPs have heard.

The Government launched the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) at the end of March 2023 to help people save money on their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient.

But figures released this month show there have provisionally been 4,011 measures installed in 3,284 households up to the end of December last year.

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Labour MP for Blackburn Kate Hollern told the Commons: “The Government’s latest energy efficiency policy – the Great British Insulation Scheme – was supposed to insulate 100,000 homes last year, so far just 3,000 families have been helped in eight months; across Lancashire only 35 homes and in Blackburn only six.

“Can the minister explain why currently it will take 60 years to meet its three-year target?”

Energy minister Amanda Solloway replied: “Energy efficiency is incredibly important to this Government and in actual fact we have many schemes that are available.

“We have the Great British Insulation Scheme, which alone has committed £592m.

“We’re spending £6bn in this Parliament and a further £6bn to 2028 on making buildings, including private rented properties, cleaner and warmer.

“This is in addition to the estimated £5bn for the Eco4 and the GB Insulation Scheme up to March 2026.”

Ms Solloway claimed the Government were making progress on insulating homes and pointed to schemes that are operating.

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She added “no decision” has been taken on the so-called “boiler tax” amid reports it is set go be scrapped.

From April 2024, boiler manufacturers are expected to be required to match or substitute four per cent of their boiler sales with heat pumps or face a £3,000 fine for each missed installation, rising to six per cent in April 2025.

It comes as part of a government target to help phase out gas boilers and deliver 600,00 eco-friendly heat pump installations by 2028.