Manufacturer backs Budget call for boiler replacement scheme

The Shropshire boss of one of the UK’s top oil-fired boiler manufacturers today added his voice to calls for a boiler replacement scheme in the upcoming Government budget.

But Jim Wright, founder and managing director of Telford-based Mistral Boilers, is urging Chancellor George Osborne to ensure any scheme includes both condensing and non condensing boilers to help people suffering from ‘fuel poverty’.

Heating companies across the country have joined forces to call for a boiler replacement scheme to help consumers reduce their fuel bills.

The Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC), the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS), the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) and the UK LPG Association (UKLPG) have all written to George Osborne calling for him to introduce an England-wide boiler replacement scheme in Wednesday’s Budget following the success of a localised scheme in London.

Mr Wright said: “The boiler scheme is a great way to make sure people can take advantage of the range of efficient boilers on the market – but they must be able to make an informed choice.

“The scheme is likely to only support the replacement of boilers with condensing models – which could rule out a number of households which need, and can legally install, non-condensing models.

“Technology has moved on and the efficiency differences between condensing and non condensing boilers are fairly insignificant.

“Around 10 per cent of householders with really old boilers that are running at 65 to 70 per cent have to have a replacement non condensing boiler, and this proposed scheme should cater for them.

“For these people, who very often suffer from ‘fuel poverty’ they simply cannot afford to upgrade to a condensing boiler and therefore end up having to try and keep what they have already got in place going, irrespective of the inevitable breakdown costs. This just keeps the cycle of poverty, poor efficiency and higher emissions, going round and round.”

Mistral is one of the top five oil-fired boiler manufacturers in the UK, alongside household names such as Worcester Bosch and Grant UK. It has been manufacturing its ultra-efficient boilers at its Halesfield plant for 40 years.

Nationally, the oil fired boiler sector is enjoying a resurgence with the market said to have gone up by eight to 10 per cent last year.

Mr Wright said he would like the scheme to offer cash rebates at differing levels for people switching to new condensing or non condensing oil boilers.

“This way, no-one is discriminated against and it would encourage more people to work towards saving energy and emissions.

“Oil users are really benefitting from the low fuel prices at the moment so any proposed Government scheme would be welcomed by the industry and householders. I’m support calls for George Osborne to make this part of his 2016 budget – but he must not let thousands of household slip through the net.”

For more information, visit www.mistralboilers.co.uk.