Energy and Climate Secretary Ed Miliband has announced a "green loan" energy plan for homes, to help people pay for improvements to their homes to make them more energy efficient. Home owners can borrow up to £10,000 to make improvements to their home.

Consumers will be offered long-term loans to install insulation, solar panels or other green technologies, which they can repay through energy bills, spreading the upfront cost over a number of years. The loan remains attached to the property where the technology was installed, allowing the resident to move house, knowing the new owner has taken over the repayment for the technological system.

The Pay As You Save (PAYS) scheme, which was first announced last year, has already been trialled by around 500 homes. Loans are expected to be available from 2012.