Political Support for Boiler Scrappage Scheme & Reheat Britain Campaign

The Reheat Britain Campaign is an initiative devised by Mick Williams of Williams and Co., a plumbers’ merchant in the South of England, aiming to scrap old and inefficient boilers in Britain. Inspired by the UK Government’s car ‘scrappage’ scheme, Reheat Britain hopes to turn British domestic central heating into an altogether more efficient and environmentally friendly industry.

Indeed, the Reheat Britain Campaign claims around 4.5 million old and inefficient boilers are in active service throughout the UK. Such boilers are thought to be rated at less than 70% efficiency, although the precise figures are significantly skewed by various factors, including service history, condition and state of installation and maintenance.

It is thought millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions can be eliminated by replacing these 4.5 million old boilers with modern condensing gas boilers and controls. Furthermore, old boilers are notoriously fuel hungry, so domestic energy users living with such dinosaurs, which were built in an age that did not fully recognise the importance of global warming, will most likely be losing considerable amounts of money on them. The Energy Saving Trust has argued that around £200 could be saved each year on annual fuel bills by upgrading to condensing boilers offering an efficiency rating of 90% or more.

Although the Reheat Britain Campaign is not officially endorsed by the Government – nor is it backed financially by large corporations or energy companies – it essentially aims to raise sufficient awareness in order to bring about change. Any political development of the campaign would likely result in a cash incentive for those replacing old boilers. Promisingly, ministers are beginning to warm to the idea of Reheat Britain, which has attracted the approval of some 53 MPs, one of whom includes the current Parliamentary Under Secretary for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Joan Ruddock MP.

A petition for the scrappage scheme has been created at www.number10.gov.uk here so please sign-up here

UPDATE: The Boiler Scrappage Scheme has been announced.