JANET Finch-Saunders, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Climate Change and MS for Aberconwy, has called for greater cross-departmental collaboration in order to review the Warm Homes Programme, and aim at broadening its eligibility.

The Warm Homes Programme is an initiative that funds energy efficiency improvements for eligible households, yet faces scrutiny at the start of Big Energy Saving Week, a national campaign that aims to encourage people to save energy and cut fuel costs.

Mrs Finch-Saunders challenged the Welsh Government on what it had done to address the fact that less than 10 per cent of owner occupier homes in Wales would be reached by the scheme between 2011 and 2023.

She said: “Fuel poverty was a significant issue in Wales long before the onset of COVID-19.

“According to the latest statistics, an estimated 144,504 Welsh households remain at risk, spending between eight per cent and 10 per cent of their household income on fuel costs.”

Alongside this, research by Citizens Advice has found that more than 66,000 households in Wales have fallen behind since the start of the pandemic, which could result in further strain in the health service, which Age UK estimates would cost the NHS around £1.4billion each year.

While noting that plans to decarbonise social housing stock with a £580million capital investment up to 2024-25 represented major progress, Mrs Finch-Saunders said further changes were required.

She added: “This lack of ambition is why I have marked the start of Big Energy Saving Week 2022 by urging the Welsh Government to come forward with proactive proposals on how they will review whether the Warm Homes Programme can be re-targeted to ensure that as many families as possible are eligible for assistance.”