Around 22,000 homes across the capital with poor insulation and high energy bills are set to benefit from over £230m of funding secured by London Councils, social housing providers and the Mayor of London.
This funding from central government for energy saving measures includes:
- £175m from the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund, which will provide £77.9m for a Strategic Housing Partnership across London boroughs and housing associations to upgrade their social housing stock; with the remainder going to other social housing providers in the capital
- £56m from the Warm Homes Local Grant, which will help low-income Londoners in private housing across 31 boroughs.
The majority of these funding agreements (£130m) will be co-ordinated by Warmer Homes London (WHL), which was launched earlier this year by London Councils and the Mayor of London. WHL will work with social landlords to accelerate Londoners’ access to free measures to improve their homes, lower household heating bills, and reduce carbon emissions.
With 379,000 London households living in fuel poverty, WHL’s priority is to help low-income Londoners by providing energy-saving upgrades - including insulation, solar panels and heat pumps - to make their homes warmer and greener.
To boost the impact of the government funding, London boroughs and housing associations have combined their own investment and committed over £100m of additional resources into retrofitting their own social housing stock.
The Mayor will invest almost £10m over four years through WHL, which will for the first time provide a central hub for information, delivery tools, and funding for improving homes.
Until now, boroughs had to apply for funding individually, led by the government’s funding rounds – which brought costs and uncertainty. WHL instead has a ‘one-London approach’, forming a close link with government and giving boroughs the reliable, long-term funds they need to progress retrofit works which in turn will strengthen supply chains and create new, high-quality jobs.
London’s homes are responsible for a third of the capital’s carbon emissions, and many are not energy efficient, meaning they cost more to warm up in the winter and lose heat quickly. They can also be uncomfortably hot during summer heatwaves. Making housing more energy efficient is a key part of London’s commitment to tackling the climate emergency, alongside alleviating fuel poverty.
Cllr Kieron Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Climate, Transport & Environment, said:
“Far too many Londoners are living in fuel poverty and in homes unfit for our changing climate. Through Warmer Homes London, we are securing vital investment to help tackle these challenges.
“This funding will help us make thousands of homes across the capital warmer and greener, bringing down both energy bills and carbon emissions. In the long run, we want to deliver energy efficiency upgrades to even more homes and we will be looking to secure further investment to support this crucial work.”
Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban, said:
“Londoners have been struggling for years with the soaring cost of energy bills, with many living in poorly insulated damp homes. Working jointly with London Councils, we are committed to making homes more energy efficient and cheaper to heat, through our Warmer Homes London programme. This welcome £231m funding from Government is the largest allocation London has ever received and shows how working with the new government we are building a better, fairer and greener London for everyone.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Warmer Homes London (WHL) is a bold new partnership that was launched earlier this year by London Councils and the Mayor of London. WHL will rapidly make homes across London warmer, healthier and cheaper to heat by making them more energy efficient.
The majority of these funding agreements (£130m) will be co-ordinated by Warmer Homes London (WHL). This is made up from £77.9m Warm Homes Social Housing Fund, which will provide for a Strategic Housing Partnership across London boroughs and housing associations to upgrade their social housing stock and £56m from the Warm Homes Local Grant, which will help low-income Londoners in private housing across 31 boroughs.