East Suffolk Council
Energy efficiency funding to help make social housing greener and warmer
East Suffolk Council has secured a provisional allocation of £5.9million to help improve the energy performance of social housing as part of the Government’s Warm Homes Plan.
The Council was announced among the local authorities and housing associations offered a total £1.29bn to retrofit properties, across 144 nationwide projects, under the latest wave of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.
Funding will contribute to a total £12m programme to allow the installation of energy efficiency upgrades and low-carbon heating measures in social homes across East Suffolk – supporting climate goals and helping to protect tenants from risk of fuel poverty.
East Suffolk Council has been offered a provisional allocation of £5,905,116 as one of 127 ‘Challenge Fund’ projects announced in the third wave of the programme, administered by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and formerly known as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
The programme aims to raise the energy performance of England’s 1.2m social homes currently below EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) band C.
An East Suffolk Council spokesperson said:
“This funding will allow us to upgrade a significant amount of social housing stock to be more energy-efficient – helping to drive down emissions and bills, supporting lower income families, and improving the health and wellbeing of tenants.
“This is an important step towards addressing fuel poverty and achieving net zero ambitions.”
Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh said:
“Living in a warm, comfortable home should not be a luxury. It is a right that has been out of reach for too many people for too long.
“By giving this funding to local authorities and social housing providers we are delivering on our promise to improve the homes of thousands of people across England.
“As part of our Plan for Change, we are powering on with our Warm Homes Plan, upgrading cold and draughty homes so they are warmer, cleaner, and cheaper to live in.”