Thousands of homes across Hertfordshire with poor insulation and high energy bills are set to benefit from well over £15m of funding secured by Hertfordshire councils and social housing providers.

This funding from central government for energy saving measures includes £14.6m from the Warm Homes Local Grant, which will help low-income homeowners across 9 districts and boroughs. Over £60m of Warm Homes Social Housing funding also went to social housing providers who own housing across Hertfordshire and beyond, bringing a significant funding boost to improving the quality of housing for the most vulnerable residents in the county.

40,720 households in Hertfordshire live in fuel poverty. Delivering this funding will help low-income residents by providing energy-saving upgrades - including insulation, solar panels and heat pumps - to make their homes warmer and greener.

Hertfordshire authorities have been working with social landlords, building companies, training institutions and colleges for the past year to coordinate efforts to retrofit Hertfordshire’s building stock. Last summer, Hertfordshire unveiled the “Retrofitting Your House: For a cosier, greener home” guide, detailing cost, energy and carbon savings for seven typical home types in the county.

The aligned approach will help boost the impact of government funding. This means that residents can experience improvements to health and wellbeing, air quality and climate resilience through installing these measures to improve their homes, intended to lower household heating bills and reduce carbon emissions. By working together over the last year, these funds will progress retrofit works that strengthen supply chains, boost economic growth and help to create training opportunities and high-quality jobs,

England’s homes are responsible for 20% of the country’s greenhouse gas 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. Improving how we heat, cool and power our homes and buildings is one of the most effective ways to address the climate crisis.

The Chair of HCCSP said: “Our 2024 Homeowner Retrofit survey revealed a strong desire among Hertfordshire residents to address rising energy costs and the climate crisis through home retrofitting, yet many are unsure where to start. With over 50% of Hertfordshire homes built before energy efficiency standards were established, coordinating an approach to retrofit through this funding and action is crucial to ensure our homes are ready for the future.”

Helen Pollock, Clean Growth Manager at Hertfordshire Futures, said:

"Hertfordshire is pioneering and supporting retrofit skills provision, empowering businesses to deliver quality energy efficiency measures for our homes. This significant government funding announcement for greener, healthier homes in Hertfordshire herald’s immense economic opportunities for our retrofit businesses and local supply chain sectors."

ENDS