Reducing VAT to 5 per cent on energy efficiency improvement work would help more households than Green Deal finance can, said the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the latest statistics from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

38,259 Green Deal assessments have been carried out, but only four Green Deal plans have so far been signed. Research commissioned by the FMB shows cutting VAT to 5 percent on energy-efficient glazing and boiler replacements could result in an additional 57,668 households with both measures installed by 2020.

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Brian Berry, the Chief Executive of the FMB, said: "These latest Green Deal statistics show the scheme is attracting some interest. However, there are disappointingly few households actually using Green Deal finance to pay for the work.

"Green Deal finance was supposed to bring about a dramatic increase in the number of people improving the energy efficiency of their property by removing the upfront cost, but the complexity of the scheme and the high interest rate is severely limiting the number of households that see the Green Deal as relevant. Instead reducing VAT on energy-efficiency improvement work would create a real incentive and allow small, local firms to carry out the work, which they are currently struggling to win under the Green Deal."

(CD/IT)