Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent steps he has taken to ensure the Government target for all social homes to meet a minimum standard of EPC C is met.

In the Clean Growth Strategy, published in 2017, the Government made a commitment for as many homes as possible to achieve EPC band C by 2035 where cost-effective, practical and affordable. However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to heat decarbonisation, and our approach to regulation demonstrates this. Social housing currently has the most energy efficient homes of all tenures, with 66% of homes already EPC C or above. Work led by DLUHC on the Decent Homes Standard review will consider how the standard can work to support better energy efficiency and the decarbonisation of social homes.

We will continue to ensure financial support is targeted to those who need it most, supporting the most vulnerable in society in switching to low-carbon heating and improving the energy efficiency of their homes. We are boosting funding for the BEIS-led Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), investing a further £800 million over 2022/23 to 2024/25, which will upgrade a significant amount of the social housing stock currently below EPC C up to that standard, delivering warm, energy-efficient homes, reducing carbon emissions and fuel bills, tackling fuel poverty, and supporting green jobs. This £800 million brings the total committed funding for the SHDF and associated demonstrator to just over £1billion, representing a very significant investment that will drive the decarbonisation agenda across this important sector on the pathway to net zero. My officials work very closely with BEIS to support the SHDF.

In the Heat and Buildings Strategy, the Government also committed to consider setting a long-term regulatory standard to improve social housing to EPC band C, with levers required to decarbonise the stock in line with Net Zero. We will consult the sector before setting any such standard.