According to a national network of installers, installers are unpaid for thousands of boilers fitted under the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) scheme.

Adam Mitchell, founder of Futureproof (pictured), believes installers are being punished for the "good faith" they placed in the government's carbon reduction initiative.

Mr Mitchell said: “There are installers across England and Wales who have not been paid for boilers and other ECO measures such as insulation that were fitted more than six months ago.

“Installers have carried out work in good faith and on the understanding that they would be paid by Green Deal providers upon completion. However, they have found themselves the innocent victims of the government’s decision to move the goalposts on ECO earlier this year in which the deadline for hitting ECO targets was extended.

“The result has been that the energy companies have stopped passing funding down to the providers who, in turn, have said their funding has run out.

“Consumers are getting the benefit from the energy saving measures that have been installed, the government is still seeing the benefits of its carbon reduction programme, and the energy companies are benefitting from the government’s moving of the goal posts. Meanwhile, the Green Deal providers have reaped the benefits of ECO since it was launched. It is breathtakingly arrogant that these participants are now willing to stand by and watch installers go unpaid for many thousands of ECO jobs.