Retrofit for Health: The Fuel Poor Can’t Be Left Behind

In this episode, Jenny Danson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Healthy Homes Hub, speaks with Adam Scorer, Chief Executive of National Energy Action (NEA), about why fuel poverty must be seen as more than an energy issue—it’s a public health emergency. Over six million UK households still can’t afford to heat their homes, with devastating impacts on health, wellbeing, and life chances. 

Adam shares why fuel poverty is “everybody’s second issue” and calls for a systemic approach that links health, housing, welfare, and clean energy policy. He reminds us: “There is no path to net zero that doesn’t pass through the homes of the poor.” 

Key themes include: 

• Why retrofits must be measured in health and wellbeing outcomes, not just installations. 

• The critical role of social housing as the testing ground for solutions. 

• How resident engagement and lived experience shape real success. 

• The risks of treating fuel poverty as a one-off “crisis” rather than a long-term injustice. 

• Why fuel poverty must be treated as a cross-government mission. 

Useful link: National Energy Action (NEA) 

Practical steps for housing providers 

• Conduct resident audits alongside asset audits to understand lived experience and guide investment. 

• Embed health metrics into retrofit and net zero programmes—measure wellbeing, not just energy savings. 

• Prioritise ‘worst first’: identify households struggling most, not just the worst-performing homes. 

• Strengthen resident engagement, ensuring tenants see and feel the benefits of new technologies. 

• Collaborate across sectors—health, welfare, and housing must work together to address fuel poverty.