Local authorities, providers of social housing and charities have been awarded £1.4bn to help provide energy efficiency upgrades to low income houses.

The funding, announced today by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, is the second phase of the Home Upgrade Grant and the latest phase of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

The Government also announced an additional £1.1bn in match funding for energy efficiency measures in social housing, and £409m through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to reduce the carbon emissions of hospitals, schools, museums, universities and other public sector buildings across England.

Local authorities and other social housing providers have been awarded £630m from this phase of the Home Upgrade Grant and £778m will be provided through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

Oxfordshire County Council was awarded £6.417m from the Home Upgrade Grant which will help deliver whole-house retrofit installations to at least 310 properties that are not heated by mains gas.

Cllr Mark Lygo, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for Public Health and Equalities, said: ‘Those who live in poor quality housing are more likely to suffer from long-term health conditions such as respiratory illnesses and struggle with fuel poverty. We know that the risk of fuel poverty is, unfortunately, increasing as the cost of living crisis continues.

'Therefore, we hope that the programme will help to expand on and complement the work we are already doing, such as through our Better Housing Better Health service, to make vital home improvements to reduce fuel poverty and improve health conditions.’

Commenting on the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, Cllr Helen Silman, Worthing Council’s cabinet member for Climate Emergency, said: ‘Worthing Borough Council is delighted to receive this latest round of Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding, which will help us to secure Worthing’s sustainable future through infrastructure and innovation.’

Canterbury City Council’s director of Strategy and Improvement, Peter Davies, said: ‘We are really pleased to have secured a grant from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which will allow us to significantly reduce emissions at Kingsmead Leisure Centre.

‘By their very nature, leisure centres are energy intensive buildings and we have been conscious of the need to put in place measures to lessen the impact of Kingsmead on the environment. This grant will enable us to do a huge amount using some of the latest technology.’