Introduce a window scrappage scheme in the UK to improve the energy efficiency of the existing housing stock

This scheme would allow householders and landlords to scrap their old poorly insulated windows for a cash incentive of £1,000 to be used against the purchase of new professionally installed energy efficient windows.

The Scheme would allow for an improvement to the existing housing stock to reduce Carbon and CO2 emissions and cut household energy bills. The Scheme to be open only to companies who professionally install windows with a C Window Energy Rating or above and who responsibility recycle the existing windows that are removed.

Government response
The Government agrees that energy efficiency has an important part to play if we are to achieve our carbon reduction targets. The benefits of energy efficiency for households are clear: saving money on energy bills, reducing reliance on imported energy and helping householders reduce their carbon emissions.

However given the high cost of replacement windows (typically £5,000 to £10,000 for a small home), the marginal improvement in performance, particularly when replacing like-for-like double glazed windows; and given that band C windows will be the minimum standard permitted by building regulations from October 2010, a window scrappage scheme is unlikely to be cost effective on energy efficiency and carbon savings grounds.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from energy efficiency measures and the energy bill savings they can bring. However, we also recognise that the cost to retrofit homes can be substantial – our ‘Green Deal’ will allow consumers to fund the upfront cost out of energy bill savings. It is expected that double glazing will be one of the measures that can be installed under the Green Deal.