WHBC Secures Over £6.4 million to Improve the Energy Efficiency and Sustainability of Housing Stock

The funding, which has been awarded under the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, will enable works to be undertaken to reduce residents' fuel bills, enhance comfort and wellbeing and promote sustainability.

The funding will be used to upgrade a significant portion of the borough’s social housing stock to meet an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C standard which will mean that homes are well-insulated and use energy in a more sustainable manner compared to lower-rated homes. These improvements will deliver warm, energy-efficient homes, reduce carbon emissions and fuel bills, and help tackle fuel poverty. By enhancing the energy performance of homes below EPC band C, this funding will also facilitate the future adoption of decarbonised heating systems.

These improvements will play a crucial role in helping the council meet its commitment of achieving net zero emissions by 2030, while ensuring residents benefit from lower energy costs and more comfortable homes. The funding announced this week is in addition to £2.7 million of Government funding and £6 million of council funding that has already been used to retrofit over 200 homes across the borough to make them more energy efficient.

Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economic Development and Climate Change, Cllr Max Holloway, said:
 

“Action on Climate Change is a priority for the council so I am delighted that we have secured this additional funding from the Government which will go some way to helping us achieve our goal of improving the energy efficiency and sustainability of our housing stock.

Most importantly I’m so happy to hear the positive feedback from residents that have already had their homes retrofitted and who are benefitting from lower fuel bills and lower utility costs. It is great that this additional funding will help us improve the energy efficiency of approximately 500 more homes across the borough.”