The UK Government has launched its Warm Homes Plan, committing £15bn to improve the energy efficiency of homes across the country.

The programme brings together grants, low- or zero-interest loans, a proposed Warm Homes Agency and locally delivered retrofit schemes, with the stated aim of upgrading up to five million homes over the next Parliament.

Chaitanya Kumar, head of economy and environment at New Economics Foundation (NEF), said: “This plan is the starting gun for the retrofit revolution we’ve been waiting for. By combining zero-interest loans with a dedicated Warm Homes Agency and local delivery, this government has armed itself with the tools to fix the UK’s leaky housing and stop households from spending another winter in cold homes.”

According to the Government, the plan is intended to reduce household energy bills, cut carbon emissions and improve living conditions, particularly for low-income households and social housing residents. Measures covered include insulation, ventilation improvements, low-carbon heating technologies and solar power, alongside continued support through existing schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Anna Moore, co-founder and chief executive of Domna, said: “£15bn has the potential to change lives, particularly for households living with cold, damp and unaffordable energy bills. What matters now is the detail. Highly visible measures such as heat pumps or solar panels are often easier to fund than basic fabric improvements, but insulation and draughtproofing are often what make the biggest difference to comfort and bills.”

The Government has said further operational details — including how households and landlords will access low-interest loans, how local delivery will operate and how the scheme will interact with existing energy efficiency programmes — will be published later this year.