With fuel poverty showing no sign of easing among the country’s population, controversy still rages at the Government’s decision to scrap the energy company obligation (ECO) scheme, which helped fund vital upgrades for UK homes.
The Government is adamant that their much-publicised Warm Homes Plan – the announcement of which was delayed late last year and is now expected in early 2026 – has been designed to lift over one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030. Ministers insist the plan, which promises funding for heat pumps, insulation and other home upgrades, will help low-income households find ways to save money on their energy bills and provide warmer properties.
However, experts say that that the disappearance of the ECO scheme, which officially ends in March, and the frustrating delays to the Warm Homes Plan, will affect around 220,000 future retrofit projects, that would have cut bills for low-income households.
The ECO scheme brought controversy, with an estimated 23,000 reports of problems with external wall insulation, leading to accusations of poor installations, but it should also be pointed out that the scheme delivered retrofits to more than 15 million homes up and down the country since 2013, leading to a combined saving of £110 billion on energy bills, and providing jobs and infrastructure that benefitted the UK economy as a whole.
All this leads to increasing pressure on the Government to ensure that their Warm Homes Plan actually pays off.
The plan is aimed at housing residents, low-income households, and renters. These groups can access funded energy efficiency upgrades – such as insulation and low-carbon heating – through initiatives such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the Warm Homes: Local Grant, the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3, and the Warm Homes Discount.
Here at Westdale we firmly believe that the Warm Homes Plan needs to deliver on the following:
– Healthier homes for residents – Rejuvenated neighbourhoods becoming more desirable places to live
– Reduced strain on the NHS
– Improved academic results as children have warm, safe places to study
– Better air quality
– Lower energy consumption and bills for residents
– Reduced property maintenance costs for social housing landlords
– Less mental health anxiety around paying bills
– Greater community pride as residents see visible improvements and recognise the investment in their wellbeing
– Prevention and eradication of mould and damp
We’ll be keeping a close eye on every announcement as details of the Warm Homes initiative emerge, and we’ll share updates the moment they’re available.
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