More than £1 million has been awarded to Stevenage Borough Council to improve energy efficiency in social housing.

The funding announced last week will see around 400 social homes in Stevenage with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or lower receive upgrades to improve their energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

This includes fitting, if required, wall and loft insulation, double glazing and solar panels.

£179 million has been offered to 69 projects for Wave 1 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund with Stevenage successful in bidding for and receiving £1.8m of it.

It is the council’s intention to bid for Wave 2 funding later this year, which they hope will continue their progress to significantly raise overall energy efficiency performance across the town.

Upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of March 2023, supporting lower income and more vulnerable households.

Cllr John Gardner, portfolio holder for environment and regeneration, said: “With energy bills rising from April, we welcome this funding from a financial point of view, but also environmental perspective as well as part of our goal to become a net zero emissions town by 2030.

"The more we can reduce our carbon emissions the better it is for Stevenage, the planet and also our pockets.”