Understanding the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund

As pressure continues to mount for the UK to become more resilient to fluctuations within the energy market, to achieve greater energy security and to reduce fuel poverty within the country, sights are turning to the needs of the approximately 487,000 people who currently occupy social housing properties in the UK.

It is estimated that the UK’s social housing portfolio accounts for circa 20% of the country’s carbon emissions, so achieving Net Zero goals will only be achievable through a concentrated effort to increase the energy efficiency of these properties. Not only will the proposed measures improve the energy efficiency of these homes, but they will also improve the health and financial security of those occupying the properties, as heating the properties to adequate levels will be more affordable.

What is the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund?

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is a government grant which helps social housing residents to install energy efficiency measures such as solar panels, insulation, new doors and windows, upgraded heating systems and heat pumps to raise the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of their home.

The scheme is open to tenants and landlords whose properties are assessed as being EPC Band D or below. Each property is assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine the most effective energy efficiency upgrades to retrofit and grants are staggered based on the required upgrades and the current EPC of the property. Landlords may co-fund the upgrades to increase the level of funding that is available and, thus, the energy efficiency upgrades for which they qualify.

It is anticipated that households that qualify for energy efficiency upgrades under this scheme will save up to £170 a year on their annual energy bill as well as benefiting from greater resilience to energy price cap changes and fluctuating energy costs.

Who benefits from this scheme?

The aim of this new decarbonisation fund for social housing is to deliver wide-ranging and long-lasting benefits. Not only will occupiers of social housing properties benefit from warm, comfortable and cost-effective homes as they enter another winter, but their landlords will benefit from reduced maintenance bills as well-insulated properties are less susceptible to damp problems.

Renewable energy installers such as Next Energy will benefit from the opportunity to deliver vital energy efficiency upgrades to local residents under a government grant scheme, allowing flexibility to nominate the most appropriate upgrades for each residence on a case-by-case basis and supporting local residents to live well.

Industry entrants will benefit from the opportunity to gain vital skills, both in the installation of energy efficiency measures but also in navigating the complexities of government grant schemes, which will set them up for success in the field of renewable energy and customer service.

A raft of experience

The team at Next Energy are highly experienced in delivering energy efficiency upgrades and working alongside other industry professionals and government departments to ensure that residents in our local area can access the funding and support that they need to improve their quality of life and their standard of living.

We have recently succeeded in securing another contract with Manchester City Council, which will expand our area of operations and allow us to deliver social value on a wider scale. This contract will see us delivering government-funded energy efficiency upgrades to properties within the Salford, Wigan and Bolton areas of Greater Manchester.

We are also thrilled to be working in association with social housing landlords LIVV Housing in Liverpool and Plus Dane Housing, serving customers across the Merseyside and Cheshire regions.

Next Energy is delighted to be approved installers for this new energy efficiency upgrade programme, and we look forward to helping more local residents to benefit from the government help to which they are entitled. Whether you are a social housing tenant or a landlord within the Liverpool or Manchester area, we would be delighted to discuss your needs and propose a suitable solution for you and your home.

To find out more about our services and to discuss your eligibility for this or any other current government grant scheme, please contact us today. We look forward to helping you to enjoy a greener, warmer tomorrow.