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<p>Our new fuel poverty target will focus on improving the energy efficiency of all
fuel poor households, including children in poor households. We will be starting with
the most inefficient and coldest homes first.</p><p>We have a strong package of policies
already delivering assistance and making steps to help those in need. Under our current
plans from April 2018, domestic and non-domestic privately rented property will need
to meet a minimum standard, which we have proposed to be an E EPC rating.</p><p>Meanwhile,
we continue to provide help to the most vulnerable by supporting over 2 million households
a year with the Warm Home Discount as well as providing Winter Fuel Payments of up
to £300.</p><p>We also have in place the Big Energy Saving Network which is providing
outreach to consumers, helping them understand tariffs and switching options as well
as how they could benefit from energy efficiency programmes available to them.</p><p>Our
Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funds efficient boilers and insulation measures to
low income and vulnerable households is now guaranteed until at least 2017. This has
contributed to Government’s target of improving the energy efficiency of 1million
homes from January 2013 to March 2015.</p><p>We have already made significant progress
towards achieving this with around 797,000 homes improved through a combination of
ECO, Green Deal Cashback, Green Deal finance and the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund
to the end of August 2014.</p>
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