ASCL comment on £500m for energy efficiency upgrades

06/12/2022
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, responds to the Department for Education announcement that schools and colleges in England will be allocated a share of £500 million to spend on energy efficiency upgrades.
 
“This investment is welcome but it will not pay energy bills in the immediate future. We are deeply concerned that the government intends to end the energy relief scheme that is currently in place to help schools and colleges meet rising costs at the end of March.

“Removing this support will expose them to massive increases in energy bills that are simply unaffordable, and this will necessitate cuts in educational provision. Funding for energy efficiency upgrades is a longer term undertaking and will not address the present crisis
.”