HOUSING RETROFIT Tackling poverty, health, and building community resilience

Rachel Moan

Rachel is a chartered management consultancy surveyor and has been working in public sector property for 16 years. She is currently the Housing Project Manager in the Climate Change team with Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council.  From starting in residential development in the private sector, to contract managing major joint venture FM contracts and now housing retrofit, Rachel has a variety of property experience across numerous services and specialisms. In addition, Rachel is an RICS APC mentor, isurv author, and volunteer with NHS mental health services.

Rachel kindly agreed to write up her presentation at ACES National Conference in September 2024. She case studies the housing retrofit initiatives and collaborations being developed at her council. “This collective approach ensures that the benefits of retrofitting homes extend beyond insulation and energy bills, supporting a much wider network of organisations and individuals.” 

Housing retrofit is more than just an approach to improving buildings; it’s part of a much larger conversation about addressing climate change, combating fuel poverty, and empowering communities. The intersection of where people live and how they live has never been more important as we face a climate emergency and a deepening cost of living crisis. By improving energy efficiency, redistributing resources, and fostering community spirit, housing retrofit offers a clear path toward addressing current challenges. 

The context of housing retrofit 

Homes account for 22% of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions, making energy efficiency improvements in the residential sector critical for tackling climate change. Decarbonising homes not only reduces emissions but also brings a host of benefits to society. These include reducing energy costs for households, improving health outcomes, and supporting local economies by creating jobs in the green energy and construction sectors. 

At Cheshire West Council we undertook a strategic programme to address housing retrofit, working very closely with public health, climate change and housing colleagues. In addition, we sought closely to involve internal stakeholders such as adults and children’s care. External stakeholders included the NHS, police, fire and housing providers. 

The strategic programme supports the council’s climate goals by actively reducing domestic emissions. However, it goes beyond emissions. At its core it addresses asset management that meets the triple goals of improving homes, protecting the environment, and strengthening communities. 

A holistic approach to housing retrofit 

The housing retrofit effort splits its focus between two groups: the “unable to pay market” and the “willing to pay market.” By targeting funding and resources where they can have the greatest impact, local teams have secured approximately £4.5m in grants, including the Home Upgrade Grant, Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, and Green Homes Grant. Non-domestic funding channels like Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme have also been leveraged. 

Regional partnerships and stakeholder involvement are at the core of the project. By collaborating with local authorities, community organisations, and private sector leaders, the retrofit initiative is bridging gaps in resources, knowledge, and equity. This collective approach ensures that the benefits of retrofitting homes extend beyond insulation and energy bills, supporting a much wider network of organisations and individuals. 

Overcoming challenges in housing retrofit 

Like any large-scale initiative, retrofitting homes presents a number of strategic and operational challenges. 

Strategic Challenges 

• Supply chain pressures: Securing energy-efficient materials and skilled labour is a growing issue due to demand across the sector 

• Local community engagement: Encouraging homeowners and tenants to participate has been slow in some areas, especially those unaware of the benefits or wary of disruption 

• Planning restrictions: Regulatory barriers, especially in areas with older housing or heritage sites, have delayed progress 

• The funding maze: Strict deadlines for grant applications can make accessing funds a difficult, bureaucratic process. 

Operational challenges 

• Installer shortages and material costs: Availability of qualified professionals and fluctuating prices for construction materials challenge the reliability of retrofit timelines 

• Reporting protocols: There are burdensome administrative requirements for stakeholders reporting back to funders like Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Salix Finance. 

Tackling these issues requires systemic reform, from streamlined funding processes to workforce development in the construction and energy-efficiency sectors. 

The effects of fuel poverty 

Fuel Poverty levels based on national poverty figures (BEIS, 2021)

Cheshire West fuel poverty data statistics (BEIS, 2021)

Fuel poverty describes households that cannot afford to heat their homes adequately. Under the current Low Income, Low Energy Efficiency strategy, a household is considered fuel-poor if its residual income—after housing costs, tax, and national insurance—is below the poverty line and its home has a Fuel Poverty Energy Efficiency Rating below Band C. 

Evidence of fuel poverty is all around us. For many families, it leads to harsh decisions like choosing between heating their home and buying food, often referred to as “heat or eat.” The human toll is stark: 

• Worsened respiratory illnesses due to damp, cold living conditions 

• Decline in mental health as anxiety and stress over bills mount 

• Limited use of essential appliances like refrigerators, further contributing to health issues. 

Fuel poverty is growing, with local data showing a rise from 10.6% of fuel-poor households in 2018 to 11.9% in 2020 in Cheshire West (see map and table). With energy costs increasing, these percentages are likely to grow unless swift, impactful action is taken. 

A holistic response to fuel poverty 

The council has developed a comprehensive Fuel Poverty Strategy. Stakeholder and public consultations were integral in shaping this response, ensuring the strategy aligned closely with community needs. The work pulls together an impressive range of partners, including the NHS, Integrated Care Boards, fire services, and more. 

The strategy itself tackles four key issues inspired by the Council Plan: 

1. Tackling the climate emergency: Reducing emissions directly combats the twin crises of carbon output and fuel poverty 

2. Youth development: Ensuring children have warm, healthy homes supports their well-being and long-term success in education and life 

3. Healthy aging: Helping adults live longer, happier lives is tied to healthier housing 

4. Community empowerment: Participation from local individuals and organisations is a tool for breaking the cycle of poverty. 

Action areas focus on increasing household income, enhancing energy efficiency, supporting renewable energy adoption, improving health outcomes, and introducing behavioural changes to cut energy consumption. Such measures are powerful reminders that addressing fuel poverty requires both systemic and personal-level changes. 

Warm spaces as a community solution 

Another innovative solution has been the creation of “Warm, Welcoming Spaces.” These started as heated hubs in community centres, leisure facilities, and libraries, but have since evolved into vibrant spaces offering much more than warmth. Visitors can now find social interaction opportunities, access to financial advice, workshops, and even parenting classes. The initiative addresses multiple layers of need. Not only are physical health benefits evident—such as fewer hospital admissions for cold-related illnesses—but the mental health gains are significant, thanks to reduced isolation and increased social connection. 

Challenges remain in more rural areas, where the lack of accessible community hubs limits the programme’s reach. To counter this, local councils are connecting with organisations to provide grants and promotional campaigns to establish more rural outreach. 

One official summed it up best when they stated, “As well as helping people to stay warm, we want to improve community spirit and wellbeing through increased social interaction, connectivity, and sense of belonging.” This approach acknowledges that warm spaces can do more than ease heating bills—they can rebuild fragmented communities. 

Lessons learnt and opportunities ahead 

The housing retrofit project has provided critical insights that will shape future efforts. Among the main challenges identified were difficulties in data sharing between the NHS and fire services, underutilisation of retrofit funding, and unique struggles faced in rural areas, particularly around access and infrastructure. 

Despite these hurdles, the project also highlighted significant opportunities: 

• Community-driven solutions: Engaging residents in co-production models gives them a voice in retrofitting efforts and makes solutions more sustainable 

• Devolution of power: Allowing regional authorities more control could speed up decision-making and resource allocation 

• Data-backed responses: Strengthening data-sharing agreements between partners ensures that efforts are better targeted 

• NHS collaboration: A co-leadership role for the NHS could amplify health-related outcomes, from fewer cold-related illnesses to less strain on hospitals during the winter months. 

The bigger picture 

Housing retrofit programs are not just about insulating homes or swapping out boilers. They’re about rethinking how we approach some of society’s biggest challenges. From climate change and health inequality to social isolation and poverty, these problems intersect in complex ways. By working holistically—engaging communities, leveraging partnerships, and committing to innovative solutions like Warm, Welcoming Spaces—local governments and organisations can offer tangible, meaningful change. 

The benefits of such programmes ripple far beyond the homes being improved. They create healthier families, stronger communities, and a more sustainable future for everyone. This is what makes housing retrofit not just an environmental imperative but a vital social one as well.