Wealden delivers multimillion pound social housing energy efficiency upgrades

Vast improvements have been made to Wealden District Council’s social housing stock as part of a multimillion-pound investment to ensure homes are energy efficient and cheaper to heat.

As a social housing landlord, the council plays an important role in alleviating the impacts of climate change and the cost of living in residents’ housing.

The works will improve health, wellbeing and comfort for residents, including for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those living with chronic illnesses. The cost of living and energy crisis over the last few years has put considerable strain on residents’ ability to afford to heat their properties, to maintain health and comfort and reduce the impact of condensation and mould.

The improvements made come from successful bids for funding - Social Housing Decarbonisation Funding (SHDF) and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.

In 2024/25 the council made positive improvements to people’s homes and lives by providing 50 new or replacement air source heat pumps, increased or renewed loft insulation to 104 properties, replaced failed cavity wall insulation to 29 properties, installed new solar photovoltaic systems to 110 properties and replaced triple glazed windows to 31 properties.

Councillor Daniel Manvell, Alliance for Wealden (Labour Party) and lead councillor for Housing, Benefits and Revenues, said, “We know that the high cost of living is really painful for people right now. So, in addition to freezing our share of council tax next year for all of our residents, we are also working hard to reduce heating costs for people living in our council properties. We want every penny we invest into energy efficiency measures to mean that our residents can keep more money in their own pockets.

“I am pleased to say that these works have made a real difference to our residents’ lives. Upgrading their homes has lowered their energy bills (some by up to one third), made homes warmer, and supported some of our most vulnerable residents to stay comfortable during the cost-of-living crisis. The upgrades have also saved the equivalent carbon emissions to thousands of trees being planted, helping to combat the climate crisis too. We are determined to do all we can to help residents during both the cost-of-living crisis and the climate crisis.”