Warm Homes Plan: what the announcement could mean for homeowners

The government has announced a new Warm Homes Plan, described as a major programme to upgrade homes across the country, with the aim of making homes warmer, cheaper to run, and more energy efficient.

It’s being framed as a long-term response to high energy costs, with support designed to help households improve their homes in ways that can reduce bills over time.

The Commitments

In the announcement, the Warm Homes Plan is set out as:

• £15 billion of public investment

• Upgrades to up to 5 million homes

• Potential savings of hundreds on energy bills

• Support to help lift up to a million families out of fuel poverty by 2030

The government also positions this as a “whole-home” approach, not just one technology, with support intended to help people choose what works for their property.

Immediate bill support already announced

Alongside longer-term upgrades, the press release says the government has already taken action on the cost of living at the Budget:

• Taking an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from April.

• Around 6 million households will receive the £150 Warm Home Discount, a total package of £300.

For many households, that’s the “right now” support, while the wider plan is about reducing bills more permanently through upgrades.

What upgrades are being talked about?

The announcement points to growing demand for clean energy products and home improvements, including:

• Insulation

• Solar panels

• Batteries

• Heat pumps

It also emphasises consumer choice, meaning households should be able to choose the technologies that suit them “as and when they want”,  rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Loans for homeowners (a “rooftop revolution”)

A key part of the plan is finance to make upgrades more accessible. The announcement says homeowners will be able to apply for government-backed, low and zero interest loans to install solar panels, described as unleashing a “rooftop revolution”.

It adds that these loans will also be available for batteries and heat pumps, and that more detail will be set out later this year on exactly how consumers can access the low-interest loans.

Direct support for low-income households

The plan is described as offering targeted help for low-income households and those in fuel poverty. The announcement says some households could receive support covering the full cost of measures like:

• Solar panels

• Insulation

(Eligibility and application routes are expected to be clarified in further updates.)

New protections for renters (why this is a major part of the plan)

The press release makes a strong case for improving standards in rented homes. It states that:

• 1.6 million children live in private accommodation suffering from cold, damp, or mould.

• The government’s principle is that if you rent a home, private or social, a landlord has a responsibility to ensure it is “safe, warm, and affordable.”

• By updating protections for renters and supporting landlords to make upgrades “in a fair way over several years,” the announcement says an estimated half a million families will be lifted out of fuel poverty by the end of the decade.

If you rent (or you’re a landlord), this is one of the most practical sections to watch, because it suggests standards and expectations around warmth and efficiency are likely to tighten over time.

What this means for homeowners: practical next steps

While the detailed “how to apply” guidance is still to come, a few sensible actions can help you prepare:

• Check your EPC (if you have one) and note the recommended improvements

• Prioritise insulation and draught-proofing (often the biggest comfort win)

• List your likely upgrades (insulation, solar, battery, heat pump, heating controls)

• Keep an eye on official updates about eligibility and loan access later this year

A note on the bigger message

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

Fiona Conor, CEO at Trust Electric Heating said: “Home upgrades aren’t one-size-fits-all. We’d encourage homeowners to look at their home’s needs first, then choose the improvements that make the biggest difference to comfort and long-term running costs.”

For honest heating advice or a free quote please call 0800 5999 109 or email [email protected].

Tags: News.