There is no point in generating clean energy and heat which goes straight out the window, and the Hub has played a leading role in delivering energy efficiency home improvements across the North East and Yorkshire for a number of years.
That’s why we’ve supported home improvements which have made almost 20,000 low income and social homes warmer, healthier and cheaper to run.
In fact, an independent evaluation of government-funded programs administered locally by the Hub – such as the Green Homes Grant and the Home Upgrade Grant – found that we had “injected vitality into the retrofit landscape (and) undoubtedly spurred progress in retrofit efforts” with the our performance described as “excellent”.
At the start of 2026 we completed work on the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, a national programme improving low income and social homes
We led a consortium of 15 local authorities and housing providers to deliver a retrofit programme which raised the Energy Performance of almost 6000 homes to at least EPC Band C.
We’re now leading an even larger consortium as part of the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund.
“With energy prices and the cost of living so high, it’s good to know I’m using and paying for less energy just to keep my home warm.”
As one of the people to benefit from the programme, Believe Housing resident Ralph and Sharron told us about their home in County Durham:
“We couldn’t keep it warm, then the bills started to come in.
“We had no insulation in the loft, but within two weeks we got everything done and we’ve seen a big difference”
“It’s lovely and warm and cosy and our bills have already come down”
Fellow Believe resident Jane added:
“It used to be a challenge to keep warm, unless I had the heating blasting away, but now it’s much better. It’s definitely made a big difference to me”.
“We are now leading an even larger consortium for the fund’s successor programme the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund”.
