The Welsh government is investing £17m in home energy upgrades to cut bills and tackle fuel poverty across Wales.
The investment follows a review of the existing Warm Homes programme, completed as part of the Welsh government’s First 100 Days commitments, which identified opportunities to go further and faster on improving home energy efficiency.
Three programmes will benefit. The Optimised Retrofit Programme receives £8m to retrofit social housing with energy efficiency measures, while a further £5m goes to the Nest scheme, which supports eligible households in the private sector.
The remaining £4m will fund new area-based activity, including targeting rural and off-grid households that rely on heating oil or liquefied petroleum gas. These alternative and novel delivery model pilots will complement the Tai Clyd Caerdydd pilot being delivered in Fairwater, Adamsdown, and parts of Splott.
At Parc Penrhiw in Ammanford, residents have already seen monthly energy costs fall from around £200 to under £100 following upgrades including solar panels, battery storage, insulation, and modern heating systems.
Siân Gwenllian, cabinet minister for local government, housing and planning, recently visited the development to meet residents and see the results first-hand.
“What we’ve seen at Parc Penrhiw shows exactly why this investment matters,” she said. “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.”
Properties that previously relied on coal fires now have cleaner, electric alternatives – improving air quality and reducing the physical demands of heating.
Jennifer Devereaux, a resident who recently moved to a fully retrofitted house with her daughter, 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.”
The investment supports the Welsh government’s drive to improve living standards and deliver healthier homes, while supporting decarbonisation objectives.
Scott Sanders, group chief executive 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 the 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 contribute to a more sustainable environment.”
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