Sir Sadiq Khan, London mayor, has announced a £58 million fund to retrofit social housing. This is London’s share of the government’s £295 million Warm Homes Plan finance for social housing energy upgrades.

The London money will be distributed through the Home Energy Savings scheme and used for insulation, solar panels, and heat pumps in housing association homes.

Sadiq Khan said that thousands of London residents live in homes that are far too cold and damp when winter arrives:

“With this new funding, we can transform these homes for the future, making them more energy efficient, while also driving down bills and improving living conditions.”

It is estimated that the fund will improve 5,000 homes, reducing energy bills by an average of £500 a year. Around 10% of London residents are thought to be in fuel poverty, faced with the dilemma of cutting spending on either food or fuel.

The mayor of London is also concerned about overheating in hot summers, with around one million homes considered too hot and a risk to health during heatwaves. He plans to target high-risk homes to make them more comfortable to live in when it is either extremely hot or cold.

The government has given private landlords notice that their properties must have an EPC rating of at least C by 2030. Homeowners may be eligible for grants for energy-efficiency improvements. If a home doesn’t have an EPC rating, contact a local EPC assessor to inspect the property.