Tens of thousands of people across England are set to benefit from warmer, greener social homes, with social housing providers given the chance to bid for government funding to make major improvements to their stock.
Local authorities and housing associations across England will have the chance to secure a share Of £160 million through the government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, set to enhance the energy efficiency of socially rented homes.
In total, through this first wave of funding, up to 38,000 of the UK’s worst energy-performing social housing properties – with energy performance certificate (EPC) ratings of D or below – will have the chance to receive vital energy efficiency upgrades, including installation of insulation and more energy efficient doors, windows and heating systems.
Registered providers of social housing can apply here.
This investment will help tenants save around £170 per year on energy bills, while making their homes warmer and reducing carbon emissions.
This is the first wave of funding out of a total £3.8 billion to be spent over a 10-year period – with the aim of improving homes to be cheaper to run, more energy efficient and fit for the future.
And with homes accounting for 15% of the UK’s carbon emissions, the investment will also help towards eliminating the country’s contribution to climate change by 2050.
Taken together the funding will ensure that the government is achieving its aspiration to ensure as many homes as possible reach EPC Band C or above by 2035 in a way that is practical, cost effective, and affordable.
Today’s announcement is the latest step in the government’s plan to reduce emissions from social homes, a priority area for the government to help eradicate fuel poverty and reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The government also plans to invest over £9 billion to increase the energy efficiency of homes, schools and hospitals, while supporting 50,000 jobs by 2030 and installing 600,000 heat pumps every year by 2028 – driving forward the Prime Minister’s ambitious 10 Point Plan for a green industrial revolution.
Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Demonstrator Phase
Wave 1 of The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund follows an earlier demonstrator phase launched in March 2021, which awarded £62 million to projects across England and Scotland which will look to upgrade c. 2,300 socially rented homes to demonstrate innovative approaches to retrofitting social housing at scale, using a whole house approach.
