A botched insulation scheme, which has caused damp issues in thousands of homes, has been attributed to 'serious failings at every level' by a UK government official. The National Audit Office's report revealed that 98% of the 23,000 homes with external wall insulation installed under two separate schemes will suffer from damp and mould if left unaddressed. This damning assessment also highlighted that hundreds of homeowners' health and safety were at immediate risk due to the inadequate insulation work. During a parliamentary appearance, Jeremy Pocklington, the most senior civil servant at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, described the failures as 'unacceptable'. The issues extend to approximately one-third of homes with internal insulation installed under the ECO4 scheme and the Great British Insulation Scheme, accessible to residents in England, Scotland, and Wales. Over the last two decades, more than three million homes have been insulated through various government schemes, with billions of pounds of public money invested. At the Public Accounts Committee, Mr. Pocklington expressed empathy for the affected families and households. The chair of the committee, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, characterized the NAO report findings as the 'worst' he had encountered in his 12 years of chairing the committee, accusing the department of negligence. Mr. Pocklington acknowledged poor oversight of the ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme by Trustmark, the body responsible for overseeing insulation quality. However, he also noted that the department had not exercised the necessary oversight as it should have. Independent MP Rupert Lowe characterized this as a 'systemic failure of a government department'. Mr. Pocklington agreed, emphasizing 'serious failings at every level of the system that are systemic' and the department's failure to adequately set up Trustmark for effective delivery. He attributed the department's challenges to the pressure of managing the Covid pandemic and the impact of the war in Ukraine on energy prices. Labour MP Clive Betts questioned whether the department would take responsibility for all homeowners 'badly treated' under the government's energy efficiency schemes, not just those since 2022. Mr. Pocklington focused on the two schemes implemented since 2022, but the conversation highlighted the need for comprehensive accountability and consumer protection measures.
