On Wednesday 28 October 2026, Chancellor John Healey presented his Autumn Budget to Parliament, announcing measures aimed at easing pressure on household energy bills. These include a £100 energy payment for households in council tax bands A–D and the removal of the gas standing charge.
The statement follows the Government’s launch of the Warm Homes Loan Scheme on Tuesday 27 October. While the scheme was not specifically referenced during the Chancellor’s speech, it has significant implications for the plumbing and heating industry.
Kevin Wellman, Chief Executive Officer at The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), said:
“We welcome the Government’s continued support for heat pumps and other renewable technologies through the Warm Homes Loan Scheme. Making these systems more affordable is an important step towards reducing energy costs for homeowners over the longer term, and we’re pleased that the loans can be combined with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant to help bring installation costs down further.
“We support the measures to tackle the cost of energy for households. Removing regressive standing charges, maintaining the VAT cut on electricity until July and providing targeted support through the £100 energy payment for households in council tax bands A–D are all relevant to addressing the financial pressures people face. Tackling fuel poverty means addressing the underlying causes and ensuring that those on low incomes receive appropriate financial support and can access fair energy tariffs.
“However, government investment in heat pumps must be matched by investment in the skills and competence of those installing them. Making these systems more affordable is important, but ensuring they are installed safely, correctly and efficiently is essential if consumers are to realise the benefits being promised. With so many plumbing and heating businesses operating as sole traders or micro-businesses, targeted support for training and professional development will be particularly important.
“Requiring MCS-certified installers is a step in the right direction, but competence must extend beyond installations funded through government schemes. We continue to call for a mandatory minimum standard for all heat pump installers, regardless of the system they are installing. There is a fundamental question here: who is installing these systems, and how can consumers be confident that they are competent to do so?
“Our recent survey found that only 3% of UK households carried out basic checks on the tradespeople they employed to work in their home. That should concern Government, industry and consumers alike. As investment in low-carbon heating increases, we must ensure that installations perform as intended and deliver the benefits consumers expect. Establishing a minimum standard of competence, alongside helping consumers understand how to check an installer's credentials, is essential to protecting that investment.
“We cannot expect to invest in heating technology alone to deliver the transition. We must give equal attention to the people installing it and the consumers who will depend on it.”
For more information on the CIPHE, please visit https://www.ciphe.org.uk