take up

The government's climate adviser said the move would make switching to electric technologies, such as heat pumps, cheaper and encourage take-up.

However, despite regular campaigns from the government encouraging take-up - and an increase in claims after the July 2024 announcement - more than half a million eligible pensioners still fail to claim it.

But in most cases, take-up was so low that it didn't prevent the number of long-term empty homes from rising.

In a way the rising take-up for these memberships reflects India's broader post-liberalisation growth story – when the country opened up to the world and discarded its socialist moorings.

"We will continue to promote the ways that energy suppliers support their customers and the extra protections in place for those in vulnerable circumstances, to try and encourage more take-up of these services," she added.