£51 million to tackle fuel poverty in London

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has committed £51 million to help keep Londoners warm and tackle fuel poverty.

As part of a ‘retrofit revolution’ to improve the energy efficiency of homes, Khan has secured a record £40.2 million in Sustainable Warmth funding from the government to upgrade 3,200 fuel poor homes from Spring 2022. This will be delivered through his successful Warmer Homes scheme which will offer grants of up to £20,000 for heating, insulation and ventilation improvements to low income Londoners who own their own homes or rent privately.

Khan has also reopened the Warmer Homes Programme with investments of £2.6 million from City Hall and £8.5 million from government which will support emergency heating replacements and repairs. Measures could also include insulation and renewable technology, such as solar panels and heat pumps.

It is estimated that over 15 per cent of London’s population are fuel poor, meaning the capital has the third highest proportion of residents living in fuel poverty in England.

Khan said: “It’s unacceptable that many Londoners can’t afford to keep their homes warm and instead suffer cold, damp conditions throughout winter. We know the economic impacts of the pandemic and rising fuel prices are likely to plunge even more London households into fuel poverty. That’s why from today, I’m reopening my Warmer Homes programme to support vulnerable Londoners this winter.

“I’m pleased that our £51 million commitment will directly help those living in ageing, energy-inefficient homes. This investment will help tackle the climate emergency and support Londoners with the skills they need for jobs in the green economy.”