London – January 26, 2026 – B4NZ welcomes the Government’s Warm Homes Plan and the long-term funding certainty, scale of ambition and clear delivery framework it establishes. The Plan creates the conditions needed for more systematic, data-led approaches to targeting retrofit investment. As delivery moves towards large-scale, area-based programmes, improving access to tenanted data becomes increasingly critical to identifying priority homes, sequencing interventions effectively and maximising value for money.
The Government’s approach therefore aligns closely with our ongoing Innovate UK-backed work where, alongside our partners, we are developing a blueprint to unlock secure access to anonymised tenancy and property data. Once scaled, this will facilitate more strategic targeting of retrofit opportunities across the housing stock, in line with the ambitions of the Plan.
The Plan’s focus on heat pumps, solar and batteries is welcome and reflects the importance of deploying new technologies. However, insulation remains a critical component of whole‑home retrofit, particularly for older homes, and should be delivered alongside other measures. A combined approach that integrates both insulation improvements and low‑carbon technologies is essential to achieve boost energy efficiency, maximise cost savings, and ensure that retrofit interventions truly improve the performance of the UK’s housing stock.
B4NZ also welcomes the government’s commitment to review and reform the Energy Performance Certificate framework. Currently, EPCs are a blunt tool for landlords, renters and owners, limiting their effectiveness in driving energy efficiency improvements. A reformed EPC regime with additional energy efficiency measures and new data inputs will provide a more useful basis for both policy and practical retrofit decisions, including future minimum standards for rented property.
This combined focus on technology, insulation, improved measurement and secure access to property data will support more ambitious, high-quality retrofit interventions that deliver long-term energy efficiency, cost savings and resilience.
B4NZ convenes banks, businesses, regulators, and policymakers to standardise climate data, mobilise finance, and ensure the financial sector plays a leading role in the UK’s transition to net zero. Learn more at www.bankersfornetzero.co.uk.
