Thriving Communities Consortium secures additional funding to accelerate home decarbonisation

• The consortium, led by Places for People, brings together 12 partners to deliver large-scale upgrades.   
• Additional £5.5million will support improvements to a further 650 homes across England.

Building on the successful delivery of works funded by £31million through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, the Thriving Communities Consortium has secured an additional £5.5million to deliver further modernisation works for hundreds of homes, extending support to more communities across the country.   

The latest funding, awarded by Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), will enable the consortium to upgrade an additional 650 homes through five new partners - Pickering & Ferens Homes, BCP Homes, Beyond Housing, A2Dominion and Lincolnshire Rural Housing Association.  

This builds on strong delivery to date. In the last financial year alone, the Thriving Communities Consortium completed works on 280 homes. By the end of March 2027, around 2,500 homes will have been upgraded to EPC C demonstrating the value in partnership working.  

Based on the location of the partners the funding will be deployed across Lincolnshire, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and Hull to make people’s homes warmer, more energy efficient and cheaper to run. Works will include heat pump, solar panel, and new double-glazing installation to improve the properties’ EPC ratings.    

Commenting on the award Tim Weightman, Chief Investment Officer at Places for People commented: “At PfP, we believe our sector can act as a ‘force multiplier’ - combining efforts to tackle shared challenges at scale.  

We established the Thriving Communities Consortium to maximise our impact, drive efficiencies in our supply chains and ensure investment reaches the homes that need it most.   

“I’m pleased to see, not only have we made the best use of funding to date and we’re on track to deliver over 2,500 upgrades by March 2027, but to welcome new partners to the consortium.  

“It’s through collaborations such as the Thriving Communities Consortium that we can drive real change in UK housing, improving existing homes and deliver lasting benefits for the communities we serve.” 

Following the initial award, the Thriving Communities Consortium has delivered a range of social, economic and environmental benefits:  

• Introduced a new decarbonisation procurement framework with Procurement Hub, providing organisations with access to the appropriate skills and materials required to carry out these projects to a high standard 

• Upskilled people in green skills through discounted training deliver by PfP Thrive 

• Created new jobs and apprenticeships, supporting local economic growth 

• Invested in local charities and community initiatives where works are undertaken 

• Saved customers money on their household bills  

These outcomes are a testament to coordinated investment and partnership working.  

Paul Jenkins, Asset Director of A2Dominion said: “We are pleased to be part of the Thriving Communities Consortium, and this funding will help us deliver further improvements to our customers’ homes. By working in partnership, we can invest to make homes warmer, more energy efficient and more affordable to run, helping customers’ save money while also reducing carbon emissions. We look forward to working together with our partners to deliver better outcomes for our customers and communities.”

Director of Asset and Sustainability Richard Cooper from Beyond Housing said: “Beyond Housing is pleased to be working as part of the Thriving Communities Consortium to deliver further improvements to our homes. This funding will support the delivery of energy efficiency upgrades that make homes warmer, more affordable to run and aligned with future regulatory requirements. Partnership working at this scale enables us to accelerate delivery and maximise the impact for our customers and communities.”

Kelly Deane, Director of Housing and Public Protection at BCP Homes comments: "We are delighted to be joining the Thriving Communities Consortium and to be bringing the benefits of this funding to residents in BCP Homes. The installation of solar panels and battery storage across 150 of our homes will reduce energy costs for our residents and help to further accelerate the rapid progress we are making in improving the energy performance of our housing stock."  

Rachael Fullwood, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Rural Housing Association comments: “We are proud to launch our £2 million ‘Powering Greener Homes’ programme with support from PfP and Domna Homes. This investment will improve the energy efficiency of 134 rural homes, helping residents live more comfortably, sustainably, and affordably.

“By upgrading homes to EPC C through practical improvements, we are investing in warmer homes, lower energy costs, and a greener future for our communities.”

Richard Walker, Home Services Director at Pickering and Ferens Homes said: “This funding marks an important step in our ambition to deliver more sustainable, energy-efficient homes. We are committed to reducing energy consumption, lowering costs for residents, and minimising our environmental impact. Support from the Thriving Communities Consortium enables us to accelerate this work and create healthier living environments for both current and future generations.”

The Thriving Communities Consortium was awarded 62% of the total funding available in this latest allocation. Works will start in June with projects anticipated to be complete by March 2027.