Warm homes programme, Wales

[edit] About the programme

The Welsh Government’s Warm Homes Programme comprises two separate schemes designed to tackle fuel poverty by improving home energy efficiency. The work followed from the 2019 report on Fuel Poverty which gave a broad overview of the Welsh Government’s ambitions and progress at that point. Both schemes provide a range of free home energy efficiency improvements and free and impartial advice and support to help householders reduce their energy bills.

The Welsh Government published its new fuel poverty plan in March 2021. The Warm Homes Programme comes to an end over the next two to five years. The Arbed scheme ended in early November 2021. The Welsh Government has reiterated its commitment to tackling fuel poverty and decarbonising homes in the Programme for Government 2021 to 2026. It is currently considering how the Programme will operate in future. We have focused this report on the key issues and lessons for the Welsh Government to take forward into the next iteration of the Programme.

The Arbed schemes and Nest schemes started in 2009 and 2011 respectively. The current iteration of the Nest scheme started in April 2018 and is due to end in March 2023 with the option for the Welsh Government to extend for up to
a further three years. The current iteration of the Arbed scheme ran from May 2018 to May 2021 with an option for the Welsh Government to extend up to May 2023. However, the contract ended on 3 November 2021.

The Welsh Government set several Key Performance Indicators for the scheme managers though issues relating to Key Performance Indicator data have hindered the Welsh Government’s oversight of performance meaning only number of supported households was tracked.

[edit] Auditor report of the programme

The report notes that Welsh Government has several issues to resolve as it transitions to the next iteration of its Warm Homes Programme. The types of heating systems offered to households will need to shift to newer and greener technologies. But this is likely to come at an additional cost.

The Welsh Government will also need to be clearer about the core purpose of Nest and consider the continued viability of the area-based approach used by the Arbed scheme given its under-delivery.

Whatever the future of the Warm Homes Programme looks like, contracts will need to be tightened and oversight strengthened to ensure value for money.

A consultation on Welsh Government’s proposals for the next iteration of the Warm Homes Programme was released to the industry.

The Welsh Government's Warm Homes Programme, Report of the Auditor General for Wales can be downloaded here

[edit] Consultation response

The IHBC has submitted its response to the Welsh Government’s proposals for the next iteration of the Warm Homes Programme, welcoming the principle of eradicating fuel poverty but suggesting reasonable provision be made for historic and traditional buildings.

… care should be taken with buildings that have a vapour permeable construction…

The IHBC writes:

Historic and traditional buildings should only have their energy efficiency improved to the extent that it does not risk the long-term deterioration of the building fabric, fittings or significance. In particular care should be taken with buildings that have a vapour permeable construction that both absorb and readily allow moisture to evaporate…

See the IHBC response

The Consultations Panel
The IHBC constantly monitors Government Departments and other national and regional organisations for relevant proposed changes to legislation, policy and guidance. The Consultations Panel formulates responses to these documents on behalf of the IHBC.

The IHBC may not necessarily comment on all these consultations, but we are glad to hear opinions on them from both members and non-members.

For current relevant consultations that the IHBC is aware of and for past consultation responses see IHBC Consultations

--Institute of Historic Building Conservation

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Fuel Poverty
• A measure of net well-being that incorporates the effect of housing environmental impacts.
• Adapting 1965-1980 semi-detached dwellings in the UK to reduce summer overheating and the effect of the 2010 Building Regulations.
• Anatomy of low carbon retrofits: evidence from owner-occupied superhomes.
• BRE and Willmott Dixon project to retrofit of a 1920s semi-detached house.
• Decent homes standard.
• Energy companies obligation ECO.
• Green deal scrapped.
• Heat Energy: The Nation’s Forgotten Crisis.
• Household in poverty.
• Housing contribution to regeneration.
• Measuring Fuel Poverty.
• Renovation Wave Strategy RWS.
• The cold man of europe 2015.
• The full cost of poor housing.
• The real cost of poor housing.
• The Warm Arm of the Law.
• Transitioning to eco-cities: Reducing carbon emissions while improving urban welfare.
• Well-being and regeneration: Reflections from Carpenters Estate.
• Wellbeing.
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