Protect What Matters
Financial Safeguards for Smarter Home Improvements
Consumers deserve to improve their homes with confidence.
That’s why NHIC has launched Protect What Matters — a national campaign advocating for stronger, more consistent financial protection for UK homeowners investing in retrofit and home improvement works.
Why it Matters
From heat pumps to home extensions, consumers face real financial risks — including deposit losses, abandoned projects, and poor workmanship with no recourse for redress. These risks are especially acute for low-income households and those navigating complex retrofit systems.
Despite existing protections, the current system is fragmented, poorly understood, and unevenly enforced.
The Report: A Blueprint for Reform
Our new report — Protect What Matters – Financial Protection Mechanisms in Home Improvement — sets out a clear, evidence-based roadmap to:
- Reduce financial risk for consumers
- Support competent, compliant businesses
- Build trust across the retrofit and RMI sector
- Align protections with regulatory expectations and government-funded schemes
It includes 14 core principles, a phased implementation plan, and operational recommendations endorsed by a cross-section of industry leaders.
What We’re Calling For
NHIC is urging government and industry to:
Mandate minimum protection standards across all certified works
Introduce property-linked, transferable protection
Launch a national register of protected installations
Standardise Key Facts documentation for every installation
Strengthen independent redress systems
Align protections with schemes like ECO, GBIS, SHDF and the Building Safety Act
Get Involved
Are you a consumer, contractor, or scheme operator?
This campaign affects you.
Join the campaign
Follow the conversation: #ProtectWhatMatters @TheNHIC
What’s Next:
- Ministerial Briefings – July 2025
- Parliamentary Reception – October 2025
- NHIC Summit @ elemental LONDON – November 2025
- Ongoing engagement with schemes, insurers, and regulators