Henry Pryor Says: How many HIPs inspectors does it take to change a energy efficient lightbulb?

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In May, Secretary of state Ruth Kelly told the House of Commons that 3000 Domestic Energy Assessors would be needed for the Government to feel sufficiently confident to roll out Home Information Packs across England and Wales.

As a result she postponed the launch for to months. In August she started with homes with 4 or more bedrooms and in September her old department added 3 bed properties as she went on to work her magic at the Department of Transport.

According to the CLG website, there are now.... 5,794 accredited assessors (they can work today), 904 who are qualified (but aren't yet accredited) and a further 3,859 who have passed their exams but are not yet formally qualified and accredited. A total of 10,560 people!

There is still no sign that the Government will roll their bungled scheme out to all properties and in the meantime I hear daily stories of Assessors who have no work and no prospect of work.

There just isn't enough to go around. Bills can't be paid, mortgages can't be afforded and prospects look dire.

But here's the worst bit. There are actually still companies advertising to the public that they should sign up and spend £3k to train as an Energy Assessor and earn up to £50k a year.

It's a scandal. Make sure that no one you know thinks that it's worth signing up to train for this already over-populated, under-remunerated and frustrated profession.

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