Changes to make the Green Deal more straightforward for families who want to improve their homes and benefit from lower bills have been announced by government.

The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) published proposals to streamline and improve the Green Deal in order to boost take-up of energy efficiency measures on 2 December, as part of its action to help 'hardworking' people with their energy bills.


The Green Deal is an initiative for the long term, and these are early days, said the DECC. The department recognised that the scheme will need to adapt as the energy services market develops, and as consumer attitudes to energy efficiency change.


A spokesman confirmed the DECC is talking to industry about their early experiences over the last 10 months, and researching how consumers are finding the Green Deal. It is also looking for opportunities to cut costs for the supply chain, while still ensuring that consumers are properly protected and can rely on work done under the Green Deal Quality Mark.


The market is already seeing simpler documentation available from the Green Deal Finance Company (GDFC), for example, and by speeding up the processes through which Green Deal Providers are approved, then giving those companies more support once they are approved, the DECC pledged to help them become active quickly, giving consumers more choice in future.


Starting from January, government will make Green Deal easier for consumers by:


Make Green Deal easier for the companies operating in the market by:


Work with the Green Deal Finance Company to make sure the finance offer gives customers what they need by:


There are more improvements to come. By working with industry and listening to consumers, DECC will: