What discussions has the Welsh Government undertaken to review the criteria for the warm homes programme, given that it is only expected to reach 79,000 homes between 2011 and 2023 which is less than 10 per cent of owner occupier homes in Wales?
Since its launch in 2010, the Warm Homes Programme has focussed on providing lower income households with a package of home energy efficiency measures, resulting in an average saving of around £300 on their energy bills. Never designed to be a silver bullet to such a complex set of issues, the programme demonstrates our long term and sustained commitment to support lower income households. It complements other programmes designed to improve domestic energy efficiency, such as our Innovative Housing Programme and Welsh Housing Quality Standard. Between 2008 and 2018, estimated levels of fuel poverty more than halved in Wales.
Housing contributes to 10% of all carbon emissions in Wales and must be reduced if we are to fulfil our net zero targets. The surge in the global wholesale price of gas witnessed over the past six months means that many more households could be plunged into a cost of living and energy crisis. Our Warm Homes Programme is ideally placed to play an important role in responding to these challenges. I published a consultation document on 22 December regarding the next iteration of the Warm Homes Programme. The consultation will end on 1 April. Any proposed changes to the eligibility criteria emerging from this consultation exercise will be published before the Senedd’s summer recess.