Welsh Government invests £17m to expand home energy retrofit programme

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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The Welsh Government is investing £17 million to expand home energy efficiency programmes aimed at cutting household bills, tackling fuel poverty and supporting decarbonisation.

The funding follows a review of the Warm Homes programme carried out as part of the government’s First 100 Days commitments and will be shared across three initiatives.

The Optimised Retrofit Programme will receive £8 million to improve the energy efficiency of social housing, while £5 million has been allocated to the Nest scheme, which supports eligible private-sector households.

A further £4 million will fund new area-based projects, including support for rural and off-grid homes that rely on heating oil or liquefied petroleum gas.

The investment builds on retrofit projects such as Parc Penrhiw in Ammanford, where upgrades including solar panels, battery storage, insulation and modern heating systems have reduced some residents’ monthly energy bills by around half.

Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, Siân Gwenllian, said: “What we’ve seen at Parc Penrhiw shows exactly why this investment matters.

“These are real families spending less to live safely and comfortably in their homes, with lower energy bills putting more money back into people’s pockets and helping with the cost of living.

“This £17 million is just the beginning and will help us reach more households across Wales, supporting more families with the cost of living while making a genuine difference to people’s lives.”

Jennifer Devereaux, who recently moved into a retrofitted home at Parc Penrhiw, said: “I never thought I’d be in credit with my energy supplier.

“Moving away from the coal fire has made such a difference — the house is warmer when it’s cold outside, it’s healthier, and I don’t have to worry about bills the way I used to.”

Scott Sanders, Group CEO of Codi Group, said: “This investment is welcome news for communities across Wales and demonstrates the real difference that partnership working can make.

“At Codi, we’ve seen the impact that high-quality retrofit can have for customers at Parc Penrhiw. Working with local contractors, we have created warmer homes, lower energy bills and healthier places to live, all contributing to personal wellbeing.

“We’re pleased to have worked alongside Welsh Government to help deliver these improvements and look forward to continuing that partnership as more households are able to benefit from energy-efficient homes and contributing to a more sustainable environment.”