NHF response to the Heat and Buildings Strategy

The Heat and Buildings Strategy announced today marks an important first step towards decarbonising homes, which in England emit more carbon than all of the country’s cars combined. From what we've seen so far, we particularly welcome the commitment of the first part of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, as well as the clear signal that heat pumps are likely to be the primary source of home heat and the commitment to bring down electricity prices. We look forward to reviewing the strategy in its entirety.

Housing associations are committed to working with the government over the coming months and years to help it deliver on its ambitious net zero plans. However, our new report today on decarbonising England’s social homes shows there is a lot of work to do to achieve this.

We urge the government to use the upcoming Spending Review to make good on its commitment of a £3.8bn Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which would allow housing associations to invest and plan long term. It’s also critical that we can work with government to give clarity on energy efficiency standards, and guidance on decarbonising our oldest and most inefficient homes.