50,000 West Midlands homes to be 'retrofitted' to improve insulation

Walls will be insulated and homes fitted with double or triple glazing in a bid to make homes, and in particular older properties, warmer and help tackle fuel poverty.

The ambitious scheme is being led by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and aims to retrofit 50,000 homes over the next two years. Leaders are hoping to secure funding from the Government for the programme.

Officials say the West Midlands currently has the highest fuel poverty gap in the UK due to the high average age of local housing stock, with many homes dating back to the early 20th century.

The condition of the homes means that much of the heat being used to warm them is escaping, meaning families are having to spend more and more.

The retrofit programme would target older homes that have low energy efficiency and cause households to pay far too much on their energy bills.

It will initially be made available for social housing tenants before being offered to private homeowners.

Retrofitting forms part of the WMCA’s #WM2041 programme, which sets out how the West Midlands aims to become carbon neutral no later than 2041 was approved by the Combined Authority last month.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “The WMCA remains utterly committed to tackling the region’s climate emergency, and addressing fuel poverty is a key part of our plans. We have too many old homes in the region that are poorly insulated, leading to high energy bills.

“By addressing this not only we will be helping households out of fuel poverty at such a difficult economic time for many, but we will also be taking a strong step towards our goal of carbon neutrality by 2041.”