Thousands of households across Wakefield to benefit from free upgrade work to reduce energy costs
Thousands of households across Wakefield, and throughout West Yorkshire, will benefit from free upgrade work thanks to new funding.
The upgrade work is part of a programme to reduce energy costs across the region, and will be delivered by a consortium of ten housing providers, and led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Work will include measures such as external and internal wall insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, double glazing, roof insulation, and low energy lighting.
The investment includes £25 million from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, matched by £25 million from local social housing providers, and an additional £20 million from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Miatta Fahnbulleh, Minister for Energy Consumers, said: “Living in a warm, comfortable home should not be a luxury.
"It is a right that has been out of reach for too many people for too long.
“By giving this funding to mayors, local authorities and social housing providers, we are delivering on our promise to improve the homes of thousands of people across England”.
The programme delivers on a key manifesto pledge from West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin, to begin retrofitting every social home in the region, and follows the successful delivery of upgrades to more than 4,400 homes since 2020.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Homes in West Yorkshire are colder and older than in other parts of the country, and that needs to change.
“I pledged to kickstart a programme to retrofit every social home in West Yorkshire, and today, we’re delivering on that promise.
“We’ve already supported over 4,000 households to reduce their energy costs, and with this new investment, we’ll support over 5,000 more.
“By making homes warmer to live in and cheaper to run, we’ll put more money in people’s pockets and help them live happier, healthier lives.”
The initiative forms part of the wider Home Energy West Yorkshire programme, which aims to ensure that everyone in West Yorkshire can live in a warm, comfortable and low carbon home.
To find out more about the programme, and the available upgrade work, visit: https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/home-energy-west-yorkshire/