UK100 has submitted a response to the Energy Security & Net Zero Committee's Inquiry on warm and comfortable homes. The inquiry explores how Government can accelerate the delivery of energy efficiency, clean heating and cooling measures, and establish a more coherent approach to improving homes across England.

The submission highlights the important role of local, combined and strategic authorities in coordinating area-based delivery, understanding local housing needs and linking retrofit with wider housing, energy, regeneration and economic priorities. It also emphasises the need for long-term funding, stronger local capacity, a stable market for installers and supply chains, and a delivery model that works across all parts of England.

It outlines key priorities for the Warm Homes Plan:

Putting local and strategic authorities at the centre of delivery: Local authorities, combined authorities and strategic authorities are well placed to coordinate area-based programmes, identify priority households and connect retrofit with wider local priorities. The benefits of locally coordinated delivery should be available across England, not just in areas with established mayoral or strategic authority structures.

Providing long-term funding and certainty: Stop-start funding has made it harder for councils and businesses to build capacity, invest in supply chains and retain skilled staff. Multi-year funding settlements and clear long-term policy and regulatory direction are needed to create a stable market and support delivery at scale.

Investing in local delivery capacity and supply chains: Capital funding alone will not be enough to deliver the Plan. Councils need resources for programme development, technical expertise, procurement, coordination, engagement and enforcement, alongside investment in installer skills, local supply chains and manufacturing capacity.

Delivering comfortable, healthy homes year-round: The Warm Homes Plan should take a whole-home approach that considers warmth, overheating, energy efficiency, ventilation and indoor air quality alongside heating and cooling. Passive measures such as insulation, shading and ventilation should be prioritised, with support targeted towards households and homes most vulnerable to cold and extreme heat.

Building consumer confidence and trust: Previous quality problems have damaged confidence in retrofit. The Plan should provide clear standards, trusted suppliers, impartial advice and effective redress, while building on established schemes and local advice networks rather than creating unnecessary new or duplicative processes.

Making the Warm Homes Agency work with local delivery: The Warm Homes Agency has the potential to improve coordination, but should strengthen rather than centralise existing delivery capacity. It should provide clear national standards, information, consumer protection and coordination while working effectively with local and strategic authorities, community organisations and existing delivery and advice services.

Using public investment to unlock wider finance: Government-backed loans, guarantees and other forms of concessional finance could help attract private investment alongside grant funding. Aggregating projects through local and strategic authorities can help reduce transaction costs and make smaller, area-based projects more attractive to investors.

Overall, UK100 called for the Warm Homes Plan to provide the long-term certainty, local capacity and coordinated delivery needed to upgrade homes at scale. The Warm Homes Agency should help make the system simpler and more effective while building on existing local expertise and ensuring the Plan delivers warmer, healthier and more resilient homes.