If only the Green Deal was as reliable as the amount of bad news it produces then it might have actually had a chance.

Latest figures show that only 12 homes have had energy saving measures installed since January, with just 372 waiting to have measures installed. So far, 71,210 households have had assessments. Do that maths, that is a hilariously low take up rate.

There are plans from the Lib Dems to try and give the scheme a shot in the arm, with extra funding to the tune of £250m being made available to try and energise the scheme with the general public. But I will reiterate this point: while the scheme attaches loans to the home, while it adds more debt that takes an age to repay, it will not be successful unless on social housing where councils have the responsibility of upgrading their housing stock.

If the Government are adamant in continuing the scheme, they should reserve it just for social housing and cut off the private housing part altogether and allow people to get on with buying windows, boilers and insulation the traditional way.