Government invites applications for £1.25bn Warm Homes fund with Liverpool procurement specialist Fusion21 warning local housing providers to move fast. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool city region housing providers are being urged to move quickly to apply for cash from a £1.25bn Government fund.
On Monday this week the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund, formerly known as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, reopened for its third round of application and will be open until midday on November 25.
Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 aims to make millions of social homes across the UK more energy efficient by 2028. Although the exact amount available has yet to be confirmed the previous Government said £1.25bn would be available from 2025 to 2028.
Liverpool procurement specialist Fusion21 says this round of funding will likely see increased competition, making early preparation and procurement planning essential to ensure landlords fully benefit from the opportunity.
Paul Towers, framework manager (construction and decarbonisation) at Fusion21, said: “Wave 3 is a critical fund for social landlords and housing providers, to help more people live in homes that are warm, efficient and affordable to heat.
“The first two waves have not been without their challenges, and we strongly encourage providers to act now. Engaging early with suppliers and with a procurement partner is crucial – as we already know there is a shortage of qualified supply partners.
“Fusion21 is prepared to help organisations from the outset, simplifying the decarbonisation journey and helping our members improve the quality of their housing stock.”
READ MORE: £1bn paper mill project to create hundreds of jobs
READ MORE: Lender takes control of Football Pools amid heavy losses
Wave 3 introduces two routes to accessing funding: the Challenge Fund and Strategic Partnerships. The Challenge Fund is open to all landlords who meet minimum standards, meaning applications that meet the basic requirements will be awarded funding.
The Strategic Partnerships route is available to larger providers with a proven track record, offering a more flexible approach to delivery at scale.
Smaller providers will have access to new incentives, including funding for low-carbon heating technologies. Fusion21 has already procured more than £500m of decarbonisation retrofit projects and is now supporting members for the upcoming wave.