Social Housing and the Energy Upgrade Opportunity

Why Energy Efficiency Matters for Social Housing 

Social landlords are uniquely placed to deliver large-scale energy efficiency improvements, which the report identifies as vital for: 

• Reducing fuel poverty: Energy upgrades could cut tenant bills by up to £500 per year, offering vital relief as living costs remain high. 

• Improving tenant health: Warmer, drier homes can reduce respiratory illnesses and mental health pressures. The NHS currently spends an estimated £1.4 billion annually on issues linked to cold, damp homes—much of it preventable. 

• Delivering on decarbonisation: Social housing has the potential to cut millions of tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, supporting both local and national climate goals. 

• Driving regeneration and skills: Upgrading homes at scale creates local jobs and helps develop a skilled green workforce—up to 150,000 new roles across the sector by 2030. 

Current Landscape: Progress and Challenges 

The report acknowledges the significant progress made by many landlords, with social housing often outperforming other tenures on energy performance. However, key challenges remain: 

• Funding uncertainty: Inconsistent and short-term funding cycles make long-term planning difficult. 

• Skills shortages: More than half of sector employers highlight a lack of retrofit skills as a barrier to delivery. 

• Stock diversity: Older, hard-to-treat homes and rural stock require tailored, sometimes costly solutions. 

• Resident engagement: Only around 30% of tenants are aware of the full range of improvements and support available. 

What Social Landlords Can Do 

Based on the report’s recommendations, social landlords can help turbocharge sector benefits by: 

Strategic, Long-Term Planning 

• Develop multi-year retrofit strategies aligned with net zero and local health goals. 

• Use available data to target the least efficient and most vulnerable stock first. 

Investing in Skills and Partnerships 

• Collaborate with local colleges and training providers to build the retrofit workforce. 

• Join regional partnerships to share best practice and pool resources. 

Maximising Resident Engagement 

• Run targeted awareness campaigns and offer clear, accessible advice to tenants. 

• Involve residents in co-designing upgrade programmes to boost trust and uptake. 

Leveraging Integrated Funding and Delivery 

• Align energy efficiency works with wider asset management, health, and regeneration plans. 

• Pursue all available funding streams, including government schemes and local authority grants. 

The Benefits for Landlords and Tenants 

Delivering on these actions offers clear, measurable benefits: 

• Reduced arrears and voids as tenants enjoy lower bills and improved wellbeing. 

• Stronger asset values and future-proofed stock. 

• Enhanced reputation as a leader in decarbonisation and tenant care. 

• Contribution to local economic growth through job creation and supply chain development.  

Moving Forward 

The report’s findings are clear: social landlords are at the forefront of the energy efficiency revolution. By investing in skills, partnerships, and resident engagement, the sector can deliver homes that are warmer, healthier, and more affordable—while helping the UK meet its climate and social goals. 

The Healthy Homes Hub stands ready to support landlords on this journey, sharing practical tools, insights, and best practice from across the sector. 

This article draws on the evidence and recommendations from the recent report, “Turbocharging the Benefits of GB’s Emerging Home Energy Efficiency Sector.”