A Welcome Opportunity

The recently announced Warm Homes Plan represents a major opportunity to accelerate improvements in the energy efficiency of UK homes, including across the social housing sector.

With significant funding now confirmed, housing associations have the financial firepower to fast-track retrofit programmes that support tenants, cut carbon and deliver long-term value through solutions such as heat pumps, insulation and solar PV.

Roofing, and particularly the installation of solar panels, has been highlighted as a key contributor to effective energy-efficiency upgrades. As Daniel Redfern, Head of Marketing Communications at Marley, explains, success will depend not only on funding, but on selecting quality products and building a skilled, resilient workforce capable of delivering at scale.

Published in January, the Warm Homes Plan confirmed that the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) will receive £754m in 2025–26. This represents a 64.3 per cent increase on the £459m allocated in November 2024. The uplift will support social housing providers as they undertake retrofit programmes designed to bring existing stock up to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C.

This investment forms part of the wider £15bn Warm Homes Plan, aimed at improving the energy performance of UK housing stock. It will play a vital role in supporting the UK’s Net Zero ambitions while helping social housing tenants to potentially reduce energy bills and address fuel poverty.

Designed to support the upgrade of up to five million homes, the plan places a strong emphasis on the installation of renewable technologies, including solar panels integrated into roofscapes. In doing so, it will further accelerate efforts to improve domestic energy efficiency and deliver meaningful reductions in household energy costs for low-income and fuel-poor residents.

For social housing providers, this represents a tangible opportunity to invest in proven, low-carbon solutions that can deliver long-term performance benefits. However, as the sector looks to scale up delivery, two critical factors must remain firmly in focus: product quality and skills.

Quality-led solutions
As government funding incentivises greater uptake of renewable technologies, the importance of correct product selection cannot be overstated. If the Warm Homes Plan is to deliver lasting impact, solutions must be specified with long-term performance, durability and compatibility in mind.

Product supply will be central to successful delivery. For example, those responsible for specifying solar panels must carefully assess quality, system integration and suitability for different roof types.

With a wide range of options on the market, the decisions taken today will shape the performance and maintenance requirements of homes for decades to come.

Marley has led the way for several years with its fully roof-integrated solar solution, Marley SolarTile®, designed specifically for pitched roofs. Available as part of a wider single-source renewable package that includes battery storage and inverters, SolarTile® has already been adopted by a number of social housing providers, drawn by its performance credentials and discreet appearance.

Selecting integrated solar panels as part of a complete roofing system provides assurance around compatibility, weatherproofing and long-term value for money. Importantly, all Marley roofing components are robustly tested to ensure they work seamlessly together, reducing risk and simplifying installation.

The need to upskill
Alongside product selection, workforce capability will be critical to the Warm Homes Plan’s success. Manufacturers, specifiers and installers across the roofing sector will all play a central role, particularly as solar PV is recognised as a primary technology solution.

To deliver upgrades at the scale required, the industry must continue to upskill existing workforces while attracting new talent. Training, accreditation and collaboration will be essential to ensure the skills are in place to deliver high-quality installations across both retrofit projects and new builds.

With the right combination of funding, quality-led specification and a skilled workforce, the Warm Homes Plan has the potential to transform the social housing sector - delivering warmer, more efficient homes while supporting the UK’s transition to a low-carbon future.