Ed Miliband units out plan to carry one million renters out of gas poverty

Landlords will be forced to boost energy standards under plans to lift a million renters out of fuel poverty.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband today announced a plan to ensure warm homes for all renters in a speech to Labour ’s annual conference. The Cabinet minister said it was a Tory “scandal” that some of the poorest people in the country were being forced to live in cold and draughty homes.

Under the current rules, private rented homes can be rented out if they meet Energy Performance Certificate E. But social rented homes have no minimum energy efficiency standard at all.

Labour is now commiting to bringing in minimum standards for all properties by 2030. Mr Miliband said: “We will ensure that every family living in a council house, every family living in social housing of any kind will have a right to these standards. That’s the difference a Labour government makes.”

The Cabinet minister added: “We all know that the poorest people in our country often live in cold, draughty homes. It is a Tory legacy. It is a Tory scandal. It is a Tory outrage.

“This government will not tolerate this injustice and we will end it. And because being Labour means we raise our sights to tackle injustice, we will go further and faster than promised in our manifesto: ensuring every rented home reaches decent standards of energy efficiency.”