Marcus Shepheard
@mashley.bsky.social
Formerly @instituteforgov.bsky.social and @thecccuk.bsky.social, currently @nestauk.bsky.social, estwhile evolutionary biologist.
"The intersection of policy and donuts" - @jillongovt.bsky.social
"The intersection of policy and donuts" - @jillongovt.bsky.social
Getting my mum to downsize at 74 was a pretty stressful process.
Although none of this is helped by how ridiculously slow and onerous property transactions are in the UK
Although none of this is helped by how ridiculously slow and onerous property transactions are in the UK
November 28, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Getting my mum to downsize at 74 was a pretty stressful process.
Although none of this is helped by how ridiculously slow and onerous property transactions are in the UK
Although none of this is helped by how ridiculously slow and onerous property transactions are in the UK
Oddly specific example
November 26, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Oddly specific example
Reposted by Marcus Shepheard
Cutting the legs off the WHP for the sake of a short-term saving on energy bills doesn't feel like good policy.
(I have more thoughts on the bill question, but that can go in a separate thread).
(I have more thoughts on the bill question, but that can go in a separate thread).
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Cutting the legs off the WHP for the sake of a short-term saving on energy bills doesn't feel like good policy.
(I have more thoughts on the bill question, but that can go in a separate thread).
(I have more thoughts on the bill question, but that can go in a separate thread).
This also feels like thinking being done in a bit of a vaccum, where the only metric is whether number A is bigger or smaller than number B.
The Government also has statutory fuel poverty and climate targets it needs to hit - and the solution to both runs through the Warms Home Plan.
The Government also has statutory fuel poverty and climate targets it needs to hit - and the solution to both runs through the Warms Home Plan.
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
This also feels like thinking being done in a bit of a vaccum, where the only metric is whether number A is bigger or smaller than number B.
The Government also has statutory fuel poverty and climate targets it needs to hit - and the solution to both runs through the Warms Home Plan.
The Government also has statutory fuel poverty and climate targets it needs to hit - and the solution to both runs through the Warms Home Plan.
So all in all, it's a bit of a mess. Some of the other stuff in the briefing (such as means-testing BUS) just seems daft.
The middle class isn't gatekeeping the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Making it harder to access (without significantly increasing the size of the grant) just means that it does less
The middle class isn't gatekeeping the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Making it harder to access (without significantly increasing the size of the grant) just means that it does less
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
So all in all, it's a bit of a mess. Some of the other stuff in the briefing (such as means-testing BUS) just seems daft.
The middle class isn't gatekeeping the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Making it harder to access (without significantly increasing the size of the grant) just means that it does less
The middle class isn't gatekeeping the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Making it harder to access (without significantly increasing the size of the grant) just means that it does less
In the long-run the Government should be trying to pivot BUS away from a subsidy-based model to some form of loan. The problem is that the market is not ready for this yet. And with the price ratio set to rise even further, the economic case for loans is looking worse (in the short term).
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
In the long-run the Government should be trying to pivot BUS away from a subsidy-based model to some form of loan. The problem is that the market is not ready for this yet. And with the price ratio set to rise even further, the economic case for loans is looking worse (in the short term).
The problem is that heat networks projects are already highly sensitive to the cost of capital - so this would depend a lot on the rate the Government could offer. UK Government bonds are currently more expensive than some forms of private debt, so this may not work out.
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
The problem is that heat networks projects are already highly sensitive to the cost of capital - so this would depend a lot on the rate the Government could offer. UK Government bonds are currently more expensive than some forms of private debt, so this may not work out.
There may be ways to fund heat networks in this way - either via loans, or by taking an equity stake in projects.
This could be the most promising avenue, but at best it's going to free up around £500-800m of funding (depending on what DENSZ plans for the Green heat Network Fund beyond 2027/28).
This could be the most promising avenue, but at best it's going to free up around £500-800m of funding (depending on what DENSZ plans for the Green heat Network Fund beyond 2027/28).
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
There may be ways to fund heat networks in this way - either via loans, or by taking an equity stake in projects.
This could be the most promising avenue, but at best it's going to free up around £500-800m of funding (depending on what DENSZ plans for the Green heat Network Fund beyond 2027/28).
This could be the most promising avenue, but at best it's going to free up around £500-800m of funding (depending on what DENSZ plans for the Green heat Network Fund beyond 2027/28).
Other spending rules restrict how the Government lends money to itself, so it seems unlikely that DESNZ could easily shift the Publci Sector Decarbonisation Scheme onto this base.
November 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Other spending rules restrict how the Government lends money to itself, so it seems unlikely that DESNZ could easily shift the Publci Sector Decarbonisation Scheme onto this base.