UK invests £15B in home upgrade program

The government has announced the launch of the Warm Homes Plan with total public funding of £15 billion. The initiative provides for upgrades to up to 5 million homes nationwide and is expected to lift up to 1 million families out of fuel poverty by 2030.

The plan was presented by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero with the participation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.

According to the statement, the program covers all types of households and includes targeted support for low-income families, upgrades to social housing, new requirements for landlords, and universal measures for homeowners. In particular, it involves the installation of solar panels, energy storage systems, heat pumps and insulation, which are expected to cut energy bills by hundreds of pounds a year.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer underscored: “A warm home shouldn’t be a privilege, it should be a basic guarantee for every family in Britain.”

He added that the new program marks a turning point in addressing the cost-of-living crisis and long-term energy instability.

The program is built around three key pillars. The first provides free installation of energy efficient solutions for low-income households, backed by £5 billion in public funding. The second offers low and zero interest loans for all households, as well as mandatory installation of solar panels in new homes. The third focuses on strengthening protections for renters and upgrading energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector.

The government stresses that the Warm Homes Plan will make a significant contribution to achieving the UK’s climate goals, as buildings currently account for more than one fifth of the country’s territorial greenhouse gas emissions.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the UK introduced a nationwide ban on junk food advertising on television before 9pm and across digital platforms as part of efforts to reduce childhood obesity.