New funding secured to reduce tenants’ energy bills and make homes greener

The programme will target tenants with oil or LPG heating systems. The plan is to replace these carbon intensive fossil fuel systems with carbon neutral alternatives, using air source heat pumps to make them green and solar panels and battery storage to make them cheaper to run.

This will mean that tenants living in these off-gas homes will no longer need to buy oil in bulk, allowing for better budgeting during the Cost of Living crisis.

The aim is to reduce energy bills for tenants, deliver carbon savings while also providing safe, warm homes that are free from damp and mould.

Letters are going out to eligible households and tenants will need to respond to benefit from the scheme. Homes will be assessed through a retrofit survey and, if suitable, will have the new systems installed. At the same time, insulation levels will also be assessed to ensure the benefits of the new systems are maximised.

“This energy efficiency scheme will deliver real benefits to our tenants by reducing their household energy bills,” comments Councillor Lee Brazier, Portfolio Holder for Housing at Newark and Sherwood District Council. “It also helps the district to move towards net zero. The scheme has been made possible by working with the Midland Net Zero Energy Hub, which is part of Nottingham City Council.

“Our programme aims to assess 150 homes in the district and target at least 102 of our properties. We know that some of our tenants are already struggling to afford the bulk purchase of oil to heat their homes, so this scheme is one way we can help them.” 

The grant forms part of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF Wave 2.1), administered by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.

Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said: “This investment will help thousands of households to heat their homes for less, keep them warm for longer and could save hundreds on their annual energy bill.”