In April 2024 the Council (Runnymede Borough Council) was successful in making an application under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) to enhance and undertake measure to our stock to increase their energy performance therefore reducing tenants’ energy bills.
About the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF)
The Fund will upgrade a significant amount of the housing stock currently below Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C up to that standard. It will support the installation of energy performance measures in social homes in England, and help:
- deliver warm, energy efficient homes
- reduce carbon emissions
- tackle fuel poverty
- support green jobs
- develop the retrofit sector
- improve the comfort, health and well-being of Runnymede tenants
As part of the Councils application, Runnymede Borough Council analysed and put forward a total of 169 properties that met the above criteria.
Grant win will help dozens of tenants cut energy bills
Council-owned homes across Runnymede are due to get a £2.5million energy efficiency boost this summer, in a move which is expected to help tenants cut their bills by up to £750.
Almost 170 homes will have a combination of external wall insulation, cavity wall insulation and solar panels installed.
The improvement works are possible thanks to a £1.25million grant secured by the Council from the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Dozens of councils and housing associations applied to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for grants. The money received by Runnymede is the largest payment to a council in Surrey.
The Government grant will be backed up with another £1.28m from the Council, made up of rent money which tenants themselves have paid over the years. This means that the work can be carried out without using Council Taxpayers money.
A Runnymede Borough Council spokesperson said: “This grant funding success is very welcome as it means we can deliver a really substantial programme to improve people’s homes, cut the cost of their bills and reduce the impact of our social housing on the environment all at the same time.
We’re carrying out this work because the Council is the landlord of these homes, and we have a responsibility to maintain them. There are also grant schemes available for private homeowners and renters to help them reduce costs and improve the energy ratings of their homes.
In its bid to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Council said that detailed modelling of data had shown that houses would improve their EPC rating to a C grade as a result of the works which will be carried out.
The bid also highlighted that while the most savings tenants would make was likely to be £750, even the average saving would be £473 per year.
A contractor for the works will be appointed following a competitive process in the coming weeks. Tenants whose homes are identified as likely to benefit from improvements will be contacted shortly to make individual arrangements.
The Council is in the middle of carrying out a significant investment in its social housing, with plans already in place to invest £12.9m for the next 2 years. It is currently working through a programme to install new kitchens, bathrooms and roofs in many of its properties.
This improvement work aligns with our Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which has a focus on ensuring residents can live in safe, secure, and good quality homes.
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