Matrix Housing Partnership secures funding to improve energy efficiency of more than 900 homes across the Midlands and South West

Matrix Housing Partnership, a consortium of seven social landlords, has secured funding to make 905 homes across the Midlands and South West more energy efficient.

The associations pooled resources to prepare a bid in the second round of applications for the UK Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), which manages the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, has awarded the Matrix Housing Partnership more than £12million to assist with the delivery of works to enhance the energy performance of their homes.

Funded by DESNZ, members of the Matrix Housing Partnership will deliver a variety of regeneration works including cavity wall insulation, installing new windows and doors, loft insulation, and measures to improve ventilation. The works are targeted to upgrade older homes owned by the partnership so that they have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least C.

Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said:  “This investment will help thousands of households to heat their homes for less, keep them warm for longer and could save hundreds on their annual energy bill. “The green energy sector is growing, and this funding will support green jobs and provide the training needed to deliver these vital upgrades to homes.”

GreenSquareAccord, one of England’s largest housing and care providers, coordinated the bid process for the Matrix Housing Partnership and will now lead on the joint decarbonisation project.

Matrix Housing Partnership is a consortium of seven social landlords including GreenSquareAccord, Black Country Housing Group, Citizen Housing Group, Pioneer Housing and Community Group, Rooftop Housing Association, Trent & Dove Housing and Trident Housing Association.

Ruth Cooke, Chief Executive of GreenSquareAccord said: “We are delighted that DESNZ has approved our application for this funding which will deliver lasting improvements.

“In our role as lead bidder, we are excited to work with our colleagues within the Matrix Housing Partnership to deliver crucial upgrades to our customers’ homes. This is another great example of how we are using our collective strength to share best practice, knowledge and expertise to meet the challenges we all face head on and provide quality homes and support our customers.”

In addition to the significant reduction in carbon emissions which will result from this project, affordable warmth for the partnership’s customers and preventing damp and mould issues are also key objectives.

As part of their Clean Growth Strategy, the UK Government are introducing measures which will make it illegal for landlords of any kind to let properties which have an EPC rating of less than C by 2035. For social landlords, this deadline is closer as under current plans they will be unable to rent homes that have an EPC rating below C to anyone deemed to be in fuel poverty by the year 2030.