The government's home insulation program would take 190 years to improve the energy efficiency of the UK's drafty housing stock and 300 years to reach the government's own targets for reducing fuel poverty, The Guardian reported as per industry calculations.

The Great British Insulation Scheme, which intends to insulate 300,000 homes annually over the next three years, has drawn criticism from some who believe it falls short of adequately addressing the 19 million UK homes that require improved insulation.

The Labour Party stated that it would fail to tackle the government’s “disastrous record on heating homes," the rate of energy efficiency upgrades is 20 times lower than under the last Labour government.

According to estimates by the UK Business Council for Sustainable Development, it would take about 200 years for the new program, which was unveiled last week as part of a comprehensive energy security strategy, to reach all of the properties that require renovations.

In further detail, the program would need another 100 years to achieve the government's stated goals for increasing the home energy efficiency of households experiencing fuel poverty in England alone, as per fuel poverty charity National Energy Action.

Grants for home insulation are viewed as an essential component of the UK's aim to transform its economy into a net-zero carbon one by 2050.

Additionally, they would cut energy costs and make homes warmer, providing households with instant advantages. But in recent years, the rate of improvements to housing energy efficiency has slowed, leaving nearly two-thirds of UK homes in need of improved insulation.

The number of energy-efficient home improvements in the UK, such as insulating lofts and cavity walls, reached a peak in 2012 at 2.3 million. However, under the Conservative government, efficiency programs were drastically cut, which caused a decline in home improvements. Annual installations fell to less than 100,000 by 2021, a 96% decrease.

To ensure that all 27 million homes in the UK are properly insulated, the Labour Party has proposed plans for a massive energy efficiency program. If elected to office, Labour would work to improve the energy efficiency of 2 million homes in the first year of a 10-year, £60 billion plan that could result in annual bill savings of £400 for each household.

The party alleged that by implementing energy-saving measures like double glazing and loft insulation as well as renewable and low-carbon technology, 450,000 jobs would be produced by the end of the decade.

UK's Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, was accused by Ed Miliband, the Shadow Secretary of State for climate change and net zero, of failing to act despite the substantial increase in household energy costs due to skyrocketing market prices in light of the war in Ukraine.

“Labour’s warm homes plan would upgrade the 19m homes that need it, cutting bills and creating thousands of good jobs for electricians and engineers across the country,” Miliband argued.

A government spokesperson said, “The Great British Insulation Scheme will support the installation of energy efficiency measures to around 300,000 homes. It is in addition to the £6.6bn we have committed in this parliament, and the additional £6bn of investment to 2028, to help cut emissions from homes and buildings.”

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