Cambridge City Council secured £12.3 million from the government’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in the form of two grants which will allow the council to improve energy efficiency in council homes and low-income private homes, addressing fuel poverty.
DESNZ has awarded £3.8 million under the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 which will allow the council to upgrade housing stock that currently has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) below band C. This will improve comfort, make homes warmer, reduce carbon emissions and make them more energy efficient. Improving energy efficiency in homes can help to tackle fuel poverty – supporting the reduction in energy needed, can bring down energy costs.
The funding will last for three years and form part of the council’s long term Energy Efficiency Works Programme, which will improve the efficiency of council homes to a minimum of EPC ‘C’. The retrofit work will include measures such as external wall insulation, loft insulation and improved ventilation.
The council will contribute an additional £3.9 million per year to this programme.
In addition, the council, as the lead authority of the Cambridgeshire Energy Retrofit Partnership (CERP), was awarded £8.5 million through the Warm Homes: Local Grant. This funding will be used to deliver energy performance and low carbon heating upgrades to low-income homes. The upgrades could include insulation, solar panels or an air source heat pump.
Cambridge City Council as the lead authority will administer this grant and it will be used to upgrade qualifying homes across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, including Cambridge. Delivery will begin this year and will run for a minimum of three years.
The CERP partnership which aims to improve the energy efficiency of homes and increase low carbon installations for low-income households across Cambridgeshire includes East Cambridgeshire District Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Peterborough City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.
Cllr Rosy Moore, Cambridge City Council’s Executive Councillor for Climate Action and Environment, said: “We are pleased to be receiving funding from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. It will allow the council to continue its important work of retrofitting properties.
“Energy costs are set to rise again which for many people continues to be a concern, especially those experiencing fuel poverty and those at risk of it. These energy improvements allow residents to experience healthier and warmer homes bringing them more comfort. They will also benefit from reduced energy costs that come as a result of a property being more energy efficient.
“These upgrades will also reduce the amount of carbon emissions produced by properties, which we know needs to be addressed if we are to meet our vision of net zero carbon by 2030, in order to tackle the climate emergency.”
Further information relating to delivery launch dates and household eligibility can be found on the Action on Energy website.
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