Thousands of GM residents to be supported in making homes energy efficient

Rochdale from Rooley Moor Road

Thousands of people across Greater Manchester will be supported in making their homes more energy efficient.

A new partnership between the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Green Finance Institute will see “practical and innovative financial solutions to support energy-efficiency improvements for thousands of homes.”

The partnership, which aims to provide funding for homeowners and landlords to upgrade their homes, comes as part of the combined authority’s Retrofit GM strategy.

The strategy aims to work towards upgrading the energy efficiency of around 60,000 homes every year across Greater Manchester, supporting residents as they face increasingly high energy costs.

Councillor Martyn Cox, Lead for Green City Region and Waste, said: “It’s clear that the need for action to address the climate emergency is urgent and in Greater Manchester we’re committed to doing everything possible to play our part. A key part of this is lessening how reliant our homes are on high carbon fuel and making them more energy efficient.

“However, it’s crucial that as we become greener, we become fairer, so people are not left behind. That means making sure people are less reliant on carbon intensive energy at home, whilst reducing their energy bills. This partnership will look at doing just that, and will find the funds and support people need to help them make the changes we need to see.”

Emma Harvey, programme director for the Green Finance Institute’s built environment programme, added: “Local Authorities have a deep understanding of their residents’ needs and increasingly recognise the opportunities to work with the private finance sector to deliver access to finance for their citizens.

“We are excited to collaborate with GMCA and the market to pilot a portfolio of innovative financial solutions the GFI has been developing since its inception in 2019, demonstrating a new model for local authorities across the UK.”