This petition is to support a letter sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 28th February 2011 requesting the reduction of VAT to 5% on professionally installed domestic central heating boilers and passive flue heat recovery. At the moment there is an anomaly as professionally installed heating controls, insulation and solar panels are at the lower rate of 5% but the boiler is at the higher rate of 20%, even though this will save the most amount of energy and carbon. The latest innovation, flue heat recovery, is also blighted with this higher rate.
The Coalition aspirations for saving energy are relying on the Green Deal which will not be available until late 2012 or even later due the complex legislation required. I would therefore like to suggest that this proposed reduction in VAT is for a limited period to be introduced immediately for 2 years and then reviewed if and when when the Green Deal is introduced.