NECA welcomes national drive for warmer homes

A regional body is stepping up efforts to improve housing quality and cut fuel poverty following new national measures to boost social and affordable homes.

The North East Combined Authority (NECA) has welcomed the Government’s latest drive to deliver warmer, more secure and energy-efficient social housing, confirming it will work closely with ministers to accelerate benefits for communities across the region. 

Aimed at raising housebuilding standards and tackling issues such as damp, mould and poor insulation, the national announcement closely aligns with regional priorities around healthier homes and lower energy bills.

The response builds on work already under way through the North East Warm Homes Taskforce and a recently launched free energy advice service supporting residents with tailored guidance and home assessments. 

The commitment also comes ahead of the opening of a £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme funding window, expected to deliver around 300,000 new homes nationally.

Across the region, efforts are focused on improving some of England’s oldest and least energy-efficient housing stock, where fuel poverty rates remain among the highest.

Alongside retrofit delivery, NECA is prioritising skills development, local supply chains and neighbourhood-led approaches to ensure investment supports green jobs and economic growth.

Working with councils, housing providers and the Government, officials say NECA will aim to connect national standards with local retrofit programmes, raise housing quality across all tenures and ensure energy efficiency upgrades deliver lasting savings, particularly for vulnerable households.

Karen Clark, the elected mayor of North Tyneside and North East Combined Authority portfolio lead, is chair of the North East Warm Homes Taskforce.  

She said: “With the Government’s Warm Homes Plan now reinforced by today’s wider package of national housing measures, the North East Combined Authority will work closely with ministers and partners to ensure these commitments translate into real-world improvements for households across the North East – from warmer, safer homes to reduced energy bills and fairer housing standards.

“Here in the North East, too many families face the sharp end of rising energy costs, cold homes and fuel poverty, and that is unacceptable.

“The progress we have already made through our Warm Homes Taskforce and our new energy advice service shows what local leadership can achieve. 

“With a clearer national drive on housing standards, energy efficiency and affordable homes, we can go further and faster – improving lives, cutting bills and delivering the warm, healthy homes every household deserves.”

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