Cheshire West and Chester Council secures funding to decarbonise council housing

Cheshire West and Chester Council has been awarded £1.5 million by the Government, after being successful in its bid for funding to assist with decarbonising its council housing in the Borough.

The Council will also contribute £1.5 million from its Housing Revenue Account to make a total of £3 million worth of improvements to make its council housing more energy efficient and save money on energy bills for hundreds of households.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) made £80 million available to local authorities nationally through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). This funding will support the improvement of rented social homes as part of net zero carbon ambitions.

The SHDF supports the installation of energy performance measures in social homes in England. It aims to deliver warm, energy-efficient homes, reduce carbon emissions and fuel bills, tackle fuel poverty, and support ‘green’ jobs.

Funding is designed to help to raise the energy performance of the 1.2 million social rented homes in England that are below Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C up to that level. In Cheshire West and Chester, this funding will allow 683 homes in Ellesmere Port and Neston to be raised up to EPC Band C with a predicted annual saving of £104.33 per home on energy bills, maximising the benefit for residents in the least energy efficient homes.

Funding could contribute to council housing improvements such as internal or external insulation including to lofts, windows and doors, improvements to heating and hot water systems, energy efficient lighting, and use of recent technologies like Solar PV and Air Source Heat Pumps. Improvements to homes have to be delivered by 31 March 2026.

Decarbonising council housing is part of the Council’s commitment to creating a long-term plan to retrofit housing to help tackle the climate emergency and reduce fuel poverty. This is one of the 12 action points identified as part of Cheshire West and Chester Council’s vision for an Inclusive Economy. The Inclusive Economy aims to make Cheshire West and Chester a greener, fairer and stronger place to live, work and play.

Cllr Christine Warner, Cabinet Member for Homes, Planning and Safer Communities, said:

“I am delighted that the Council has been successful in securing this vital funding to help council homes across Ellesmere Port and Neston become more energy efficient. This funding will be used to help 683 homes be raised to EPC Band C, saving them over £100 per year on their energy bills by keeping more heat inside homes. People will benefit from warmer and more comfortable homes, which should serve to reduce cases of damp and mould and improve people’s health and wellbeing. The Council is committed to achieving net zero by 2045 to tackle the climate emergency, and decarbonising our council housing is key to achieving this.”

Tenants living in homes identified for upgrade will be contracted by ForHousing to arrange for a survey before being provided with information on and a date for their upgrade works.

For more information on social housing in Cheshire West and Chester, visit:

Council housing | Cheshire West and Chester Council

Find out more about home energy help for residents here:

Home energy | Cheshire West and Chester Council

You can find out more about the Inclusive Economy here:

Inclusive Economy | Cheshire West and Chester Council