A flagship Welsh Government scheme aimed at tackling fuel poverty would take about 125 years to support every low-income household at the current rate, the Senedd heard.
Mark Isherwood, the Conservatives’ shadow housing secretary, warned the Warm Homes Nest programme has insufficient funding to address the scale of fuel poverty.
Pointing to an urgent need to improve the energy efficiency of fuel-poor households, he told the Senedd that the scheme supports about 1,600 homes a year.
He said: “At the current rate… it will take well over a century to improve the energy efficiency of the homes of all our lower income households currently estimated to be in fuel poverty.
Mr Isherwood urged Welsh ministers to allocate an estimated £170m from UK Government spending on warm homes for the same purpose in Wales.
Siân Gwenllian warned of a lack of clarity on the policy objective, with the Warm Homes programme “somehow” seeking to balance net zero and fuel poverty.
Ms Gwenllian said: “In some cases, both things could go hand in hand. But it can also lead to conflict when you’re trying to achieve two policy objectives within a single programme.”
Llŷr Gruffydd said investment is “woefully short” of what’s required, with Wales having the least energy-efficient housing in western Europe.
Raising the example of a couple in their late 70s who live off grid in his Newport East constituency, John Griffiths called for support to be tailored to people’s circumstances.
In a statement to the Senedd on January 14, Jayne Bryant set out Welsh Government action aimed at making homes warmer and lowering bills while tackling the climate emergency.
The housing secretary said the Welsh Government has invested more than £30m in the revamped Warm Homes Nest scheme.
Ms Bryant said: “We’re tackling fuel poverty through a two-pronged strategy: providing expert advice to Welsh households while delivering physical improvements to our least energy efficient homes, which cost more to heat.
“Our renewed programme, launched in April, is already making a real difference.”
Ms Bryant encouraged anybody worried about their energy bill or heating their home to call the scheme’s freephone number, 0808 808 2244.