Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3

Overview

The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund will upgrade a significant amount of the social housing stock currently below Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C up to that standard. It will support the installation of energy performance measures in social homes in England, and help:

• deliver warm, energy efficient homes
• reduce carbon emissions
• tackle fuel poverty
• support green jobs
• develop the retrofit sector
• improve the comfort, health and well-being of social housing tenants

This wave builds on the allocations made under the previous waves of SHDF. 

Application routes 

There are 2 routes to access funding under Wave 3:

• the Challenge Fund
• Strategic Partnerships

Further detail on both routes is available within the scheme guidance. 

Eligibility 

Wave 3 is open to the following (subject to exceptions): 

• local authorities 
• combined authorities
• registered providers of social housing (including housing associations and arms-length management organisations (ALMOs) that are registered providers)  
• registered charities that own social housing 

All eligible organisations can apply directly to Wave 3 either as single applicants or as the lead of a consortium. 

The above organisations, along with ALMOs that are not registered providers, can apply as part of a consortium led by an organisation that is eligible. 

Exceptions

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and their constituent local authorities are not eligible for the scheme.

GMCA and WMCA will be receiving an allocation of funding as part of the Government’s commitment to the pilots announced in the trailblazer devolution deals.

In most cases, housing associations whose projects include stock in GMCA/WMCA and elsewhere in the country must split the project and seek funding for each project from the appropriate funding stream (GMCA, WMCA or WH:SHF).

We recognise that in a small number of circumstances, it may be more appropriate for a housing association to obtain funding from a single source and these requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Properties 

All existing social housing as defined by the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (sections 68 to 70), below  EPC  band C, regardless of archetype, are eligible.  

Minimum number of properties 

All Wave 3 projects in the Challenge Fund should include a minimum of 100 eligible social housing properties at EPC band D to G, apart from in the case of small social housing landlords. 

Small social housing landlords (those who own or manage fewer than 1,000 homes) can access funding with fewer than 100 homes. For such landlords, there is no minimum number of homes. We expect such landlords to try to reach 100 homes, or to actively consider joining a consortium given the benefits this can bring, where this is not possible. 

Strategic Partners will be expected to propose projects of significant scale. 

How to apply

When submitting an application, applicants will be required to enter basic information directly into the Apply for a Grant portal, in addition to uploading a completed Excel application form and accompanying annexes.

There are four versions of the Excel application forms, one for each applicant type:

• Strategic Partnerships individual applicant
• Strategic Partnerships consortium applicant
• Challenge Fund individual applicant
• Challenge Fund consortium applicant

All versions of the Excel application form are available for download on this page.

Before submitting your application, please ensure that:

• you have selected the appropriate Excel application form
• you have read the WH:SHF Wave 3 scheme guidance, clarification questions, and application portal privacy notice (applicants will be asked to declare that they have read and understood these documents in the Declarations section of the application form)
• you have read the WH:SHF Wave 3 privacy notice, draft Grant Funding Agreement, and draft Data Sharing Agreement (these documents do not need to be countersigned and submitted as part of your application. Final versions of these documents will be shared with successful applicants at grant award stage)

Delivery timeline 

Delivery for Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 will run to September 2028. All grant funding for Wave 3 projects must be transferred to the grant recipient and spent by 31 March 2028, and projects can only use co-funding in the final 6 months of delivery. 

Help and support 

If you have any enquiries about Wave 3, you can email: