The North East Combined Authority has welcomed the Government’s latest national measures to deliver warm, secure, energy efficient social homes and has confirmed that the region will work closely with ministers to ensure the benefits are felt faster in communities across North East England.
The announcement - made Wednesday this week as part of the Government’s plan to accelerate social and affordable housebuilding, uplift national housing standards, and tackle damp, mould and poor insulation - aligns closely with the North East’s mission to reduce fuel poverty, improve home energy efficiency and support long-term, fairer housing outcomes.
The regional response builds on the progress already underway through the Combined Authority’s North East Warm Homes Taskforce and its new free energy advice service.
Karen Clark, the Elected Mayor of North Tyneside and North East CA Portfolio Lead, is chair of the North East Warm Homes Taskforce. She said: “With the Government’s Warm Homes Plan now reinforced by today’s wider package of national housing measures, the North East CA will work closely with ministers and partners to ensure these commitments translate into real-world improvements for households across the North East - from warmer, safer homes to reduced energy bills and fairer housing standards.
“Here in the North East, too many families face the sharp end of rising energy costs, cold homes and fuel poverty, and that is unacceptable.
“The progress we have already made through our Warm Homes Taskforce and our new energy advice service shows what local leadership can achieve. With a clearer national drive on housing standards, energy efficiency and affordable homes, we can go further and faster - improving lives, cutting bills and delivering the warm, healthy homes every household deserves.”
This commitment from the North East CA comes as the Government prepares to open a £39 billion bidding window for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP), which aims to deliver around 300,000 new social and affordable homes, including a national target of 60% for social rent.
The North East CA has already taken significant steps to transform home energy efficiency and reduce household bills, including:
The North East Warm Homes Taskforce, coordinating local authorities, industry and VCSE partners to deliver a long-term retrofit and fuel poverty strategy, chaired by North Tyneside Electee Mayor, Karen Clark in her North East CA portfolio role, coordinating local authorities, industry and VCSE partners to deliver a long term retrofit and fuel poverty strategy.
A new free energy advice service helping residents access tailored guidance, in-home assessments and support for upgrades -. launched winter 2025 and delivered with local partners including Energy Saving Trust, Groundwork NE & Cumbria and Community Action Northumberland.
A regional focus on retrofit skills, local supply chains and neighbourhood-led delivery models, ensuring the transition to warm, low carbon homes also drives growth in good green jobs.
The region’s homes are among the oldest and least energy efficient in England, and its levels of fuel poverty remain among the highest nationally. Improving home warmth and health outcomes is therefore one of the North East CA’s most urgent priorities.
The North East CA will work with Government, councils and housing providers to ensure these measures support faster, fairer progress across the region with a particular emphasis on:
- Connecting national housing standards with the region’s retrofit mission, ensuring families benefit from healthier, warmer homes as quickly as possible
- Supporting councils and housing associations to take up new national flexibilities and make use of future SAHP opportunities once open
- Raising housing quality across all tenures, including private rented sector improvements
- Ensuring energy efficiency upgrades help cut energy bills, particularly for the most vulnerable households
From quick fixes like draughtproofing to bigger upgrades like insulation, heat pumps and solar, North East Warm Homes will guide residents through every step.
To access the North East Warm Homes advice service, residents can visit northeast-warmhomes.co.uk or call 0808 175 9345 and speak to a local advisor today.