Ahead of the 2023 Autumn Statement, the National Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) has urged the government to allocate the entire £3.8bn from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund in the upcoming statement
The government is ready to announce its 2023 Autumn Statement, revealing tax and spending plans for the year ahead and dictating how much will be spent on public services.
The NHDG is a collective of Tier 1 contractors and energy suppliers. The organisation is dedicated to creating decarbonisation solutions in the housing sector and tackling energy concerns, rising living costs, health issues, and climate crises.
The group aims to streamline efforts among businesses engaged in large-scale residential decarbonisation projects. The NHDG wants to improve skills and training, shape policies, and boost innovation.
Why should the 2023 Autumn Statement funding go towards decarbonisation?
“We firmly believe the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is one of the most important government funding pots in recent years. The cumulative effect of retrofitting social housing and introducing low carbon solutions for tenants is incalculable,” commented Steve Batty, director of sustainability at EQUANS.
“These measures also provide lower energy bills, help combat fuel poverty, provide warmer homes and ultimately offer greater health and welfare opportunities. In addition, SHDF has also helped to create thousands of skilled jobs in the retrofit industry, and committing to the next round of funding will help to support this much-needed growth,” he continued.
A call for better standards in social housing
Recently, a renewed focus has been on the condition of homes nationwide. Senior NHS officials have highlighted the effects of poor-quality housing on children’s health, prompting a call for a better reporting process in rented and social housing.
Amid the 2023 Autumn Statement and changes in the Cabinet, members of the NHDG have stressed the importance of the fund in creating tangible benefits for people in the UK.
“The UK’s social housing stock is in desperate need of improvement to make homes more energy efficient, to eliminate damp and mould and to help lift the most vulnerable people out of fuel poverty,” said Chris Lovatt, chief operating officer at E.ON UK Solutions.
“Renewing the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund would give greater confidence to the industry and allow us to improve more homes and help more customers,” he concluded.
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