Success of Home Energy Tool shows strong consumer appetite for energy-saving home improvements, says Which?

  Posted by: electime      21st May 2025

It’s been six months since Which? launched its Home Energy Planning Service, created in partnership with Snugg to provide consumers with clear advice on how to improve their home’s energy efficiency.

More than 100,000 people have accessed the new Which? Home Energy Planning Service in its first six months, the consumer champion has revealed.
Which? believes the success of the new service highlights a consumer appetite for clear, useful information about energy efficient home improvements, something millions will have to consider in the coming years as the UK strives to meet its net zero commitments. The consumer champion also believes engagement with the service underlines significant opportunities for businesses willing to work with the consumer champion.

Residential properties are responsible for a fifth of the UK’s CO2 emissions. To reach the government’s net zero emissions target by 2050 many homes need to take steps to be more sustainable and energy efficient. Retrofitting homes with solar panels, insulation or low carbon heating is a key way for individuals to reduce their emissions, which can lower energy bills, give warmer homes as well as preparing for a greener future.

However, Which? research has found that consumers are often unsure where to go for reliable advice, which holds them back from embarking on home retrofitting projects. Which? found that homeowners lacked awareness, confidence and motivation to begin retrofitting projects, along with finding it difficult to find a good installer. Alongside this, the upfront cost of significant home improvements with uncertainty on the long term potential savings can prevent consumers from retrofitting their home.

Which? created the Home Energy Planning Tool to provide users with independent and easily accessible information on their home’s energy efficiency and recommend next steps to make properties more efficient. The tool highlights potential grants available to make projects more accessible such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which can save homeowners switching to heat pumps up to £7,500. The tool also connects them with a Which? Trusted Trader who can carry out the installations for them, equipping consumers with the knowledge and confidence to carry out home improvements.

In the first six months the tool has received over 100,000 page views and nearly 10,000 registered users who have actively built their personalised plans. 87 per cent of users said they found it useful with 79 per cent saying they are likely to act on the advice provided. As part of the initiative Which? offered members exclusive discounts on solar panel installation, saving Which? members an average of around £1,000 on their solar panel installation.

To use the tool, consumers enter their address. The tool then pulls up data about the property and provides estimates for potential savings and improvements in energy efficiency. Consumers are then invited to sign up to the tool to build their free home improvement plan, explore grants to help make the improvements more affordable and connect with reliable installers from the Which? Trusted Trader network.

Jenny King, Head of Home Energy at Which?, said:
“‘At Which? we are always listening to consumers and looking for ways to help them find the right products and services for the best price. When we consistently saw that consumers were confused about where to go for reliable information on improving their home’s energy efficiency, we knew this was the perfect opportunity for us to step in.

“We are encouraged by the number of people who have accessed and used the tool so far. This is only the beginning, and we are excited to continue to develop the tool and do more to help consumers improve their home’s energy efficiency.

“The success of the tool so far demonstrates a clear opportunity for businesses to connect with consumers by working with Which? to provide clear information, actionable recommendations and tangible benefits.

“We created this tool in partnership with Snugg as it allowed us to combine their digital expertise with our independent advice, reviews and network of endorsed traders. It has allowed us both to create a tool that can potentially help all UK homeowners reduce their energy bills and prepare for a greener future.”