Skipton Building Society has unveiled a major initiative to accelerate home energy efficiency and support the UK’s 2050 net-zero targets.
Dubbed The Big Retrofit, the programme combines practical action, research partnerships, and policy advocacy to address the growing urgency around decarbonising the UK’s ageing housing stock.
At the heart of the initiative is a full-scale retrofit of a typical 1930s detached property, located opposite Skipton’s headquarters in North Yorkshire.
Completed in partnership with Leeds Beckett University, the project tested a suite of low-carbon upgrades including an air source heat pump, solar panels, battery storage, triple glazing, cavity wall insulation, and mechanical ventilation.
CARBON FOOTPRINT
The retrofit lifted the property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) from a D to a B – surpassing the government’s minimum target of EPC band C for all homes by 2035 – and significantly cut its carbon footprint and reliance on fossil fuels. Occupants also reported noticeable improvements in comfort and heat retention over the winter months.
Drawing on insights from the retrofit and academic research, Skipton has issued four policy recommendations aimed at unlocking large-scale adoption of home energy upgrades:
- Reaffirm the UK’s 2050 net-zero target to sustain market and investor confidence
- Set clear retrofit expectations for homeowners, not just landlords
- Extend the 0% VAT rate on energy-saving home improvements beyond 2027
- Rebalance electricity pricing to make low-carbon heating more financially viable
CALL TO ACTION
Michaela Wright, Group Head of Sustainability at Skipton, says: “The Big Retrofit is more than a pilot – it’s a call to action. We want to empower homeowners, inform policymakers, and shape the market to accelerate the UK’s journey to net zero.”
The initiative has been welcomed by industry bodies including The MCS Foundation, whose chief executive Garry Felgate praised Skipton’s “hands-on leadership” and “clear call for supportive government policy to enable scale”.
He adds: “With 43% of UK homeowners planning energy upgrades, but many facing affordability barriers, the finance sector has a critical role to play.
Skipton’s push for VAT reform and fairer electricity pricing directly supports the transition to renewable heating and lower bills.”
