Mayor unveils £167m plan to improve living conditions and tackle fuel poverty
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has launched a £167m initiative aimed at improving living conditions and tackling fuel poverty in the region.
The funding will support the upgrade of up to 10,000 of the oldest and least energy-efficient homes, making them warmer and more affordable to run.
It is expected to help reduce fuel costs for thousands of low-income households by providing essential improvements such as insulation, new windows and doors, solar panels and more efficient heating systems.
The new upgrades hope to bring homes up to modern energy efficiency standards, cutting down energy usage and helping to ease the financial pressure on residents struggling with high energy bills.
Parker said: “I pledged to deliver a mass insulation programme to make thousands of our homes warmer, safer, greener and cheaper to run. Today I am delivering on that pledge as we launch the most ambitious programme the region has ever seen.
“This funding from the Government will allow us to upgrade homes, colleges and schools – cutting carbon emissions, cutting bills and most importantly, lifting thousands of families out of fuel poverty. We’re not just improving homes; we’re improving lives, and building a greener, fairer West Midlands for everyone.”
The £167m fund represents the largest-ever home energy efficiency programme from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
As part of this, £36m will be allocated to improving the energy efficiency of public buildings, including schools, colleges, NHS sites and emergency services buildings, making them cheaper to heat and power.
The programme is also set to unlock around £80m in additional investment from local councils and housing providers.
Cllr Peter Hughes, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and infrastructure said: “We’re determined to tackle fuel poverty and climate change head-on. By making homes more energy efficient, here in Sandwell, we will provide the vital assistance that our residents need.
“This will help them to make savings on their energy bills during this cost-of-living crisis, whilst, at the same time, ensuring a more sustainable future for everyone in the borough.”
