A cross-party group of MPs, environmental groups and fuel poverty charities have written an open letter to the government calling for solar panels and heat pumps to be mandatory on all newbuild homes.

The open letter, addressed to housing minister Matthew Pennycook, has been signed by a group of 35 MPs from the Liberal Democrat, Conservative, Labour and Green parties, as well as more than a dozen fuel poverty charities and environmental organisations including Solar Energy UK, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition and the Energy Saving Trust.

The letter is in regard to the Future Homes Standard (FHS), which is due to come into effect next year. With heating and powering buildings accounting for 30% of the UK’s total energy usage, the aim of the FHS is to ensure all newbuild homes produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes built under the current Building Regulations. This, in part, will be achieved by replacing current technologies with low-carbon alternatives such as heat pumps and solar...