The vast majority of councils have set carbon reduction targets to tackle climate change but less than half have considered emissions from private housing, a new report has revealed.
Social enterprise Lendology, which works in partnership with 15 councils in West and South West England, says the UK’s houses are ‘among the leakiest in Europe’.
The group’s report, which includes a survey of 50 councils in the UK, found that 90% have set carbon reduction targets to tackle climate change.
But while their targets included actions for the council’s own offices and most included action for social housing, less than half considered emissions from private housing.
The research also shows that 22% of councils have no plans to support the retrofit of private housing.
Lendology chief executive Emma Lower said: ‘It’s good to see our survey finding that nearly 30% of councils considering either loans, or a mixture of grants and loans as a solution to the problem, but that percentage simply has to grow in order for councils to meet their goals.’