The number of government-funded projects to upgrade cold and draughty homes in north east England has significantly reduced, climate change charity Ashden has found.
In 2022-23, 1,664 homes in the region were upgraded through the Government’s Energy Company Obligation scheme – just 19% of the previous year’s total (8,616), Ashden found.
Between January 2022 and August 2023, 539 homes were improved through the Sustainable Warmth scheme, while 4,288 were improved by the scheme’s previous iteration, the Local Authority Delivery scheme, between August 2020 and June 2022.
Stalling progress will keep 169,000 households in the region ‘trapped in fuel poverty’ and wastes the chance to create jobs, Ashden has said.
The charity said local politicians should call for greater investment and support from national government.
Ashden cities manager Cara Jenkinson said: ‘As we head into the winter with energy prices staying high, it is shocking that home insulation rates have dropped off a cliff in the north east.
‘We look to the government and opposition parties to deliver ambitious change, sparking a triple win for energy bills, carbon emissions and local jobs.’
