Retrofit West joined by Shadow Climate Change & Net Zero Secretary for launch

Plans to make the West of England a green industry superpower and deliver Net Zero are taking a step forward, thanks to an ambitious Retrofit project announced by the Metro Mayor.

Retrofit West was joined by the Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change & Net Zero, Ed Miliband, to launch Retrofit West Advice – a £7 million plan to deliver home improvements and better energy efficiency across the West of England, driving forward the Mayoral Combined Authority’s ambitious targets to strive to deliver Net Zero by 2030.

Retrofit West will involve a new Home Owner Advice Service, plugging a gap in existing support where there has been no clear advice on what people can do to retrofit their homes even when they want to. This will be followed by investment to help families pay for retrofit projects.

Additional money will also be invested in developing retrofit skills, increasing the number of businesses in this sector. This builds on schemes the Mayoral Combined Authority are already running to develop green skills across the regional economy, including helping people become trained retrofit assessors.

Metro Mayor said: “In Westminster, we have a government that isn’t taking the climate emergency seriously. It’s fallen to us here in the West of England to deliver the change that people want to see. That’s why I’m investing £7 million in a new Retrofit scheme that will help people cut the cost of their energy bills, make their homes more energy efficient, and reduce their carbon emissions.”

“We’re also going to redouble our support for young people to develop the skills they need to go into green industries, including Retrofit, in the future. Workers with the skills to meet the demands of a greener economy will have better paid, more secure jobs in an ever more important sector.”

Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero Ed Miliband said: “Retrofit West is exactly the kind of project we need if we’re going to deliver Net Zero. The next Labour Government has a plan to insulate 19 million homes, but we need leaders in regional government to help deliver it. [The mayor] and the West of England have already shown remarkable leadership in delivering renewable energy projects and investing in sustainable transport. I am delighted to join him for the launch of this exciting new project showing Labour in power delivering for local people.”