Warm Healthy Homes Fund
The Warm Healthy Homes Fund (WHHF) is being developed as the Department’s main fuel poverty and energy efficiency intervention for private sector homes, including owner-occupied and private rented properties. It is intended to support lower-income households who are experiencing, or at risk of, fuel poverty by improving the energy efficiency of homes and making them warmer, healthier and more affordable to heat.
Overview
The Department for Communities’ long-term ambition is to improve the energy efficiency of Northern Ireland’s housing stock, reduce carbon emissions and help households live in warm, healthy homes at an affordable cost. As part of this wider approach, the Warm Healthy Homes Fund will replace the current Affordable Warmth Scheme and is expected to become the Department’s main fuel poverty intervention for private sector dwellings from April 2027.
The Warm Healthy Homes Fund forms part of the wider Warm Healthy Homes approach and will help deliver the strategic actions set out in Warm Healthy Homes Strategy. It is intended to modernise energy-inefficient homes and help those most affected by fuel poverty through practical home energy efficiency improvements and support.
The Fund is intended to support a wider policy goal: reducing fuel poverty by improving warmth, health outcomes and energy affordability, while also contributing to carbon reduction through better-performing homes.
Key features
- support targeted at lower-income households in owner-occupied and private rented homes
- a whole-house, fabric-first approach to improving home energy performance
- measures designed to improve warmth, health and energy affordability
- delivery arrangements intended to simplify access and support implementation from April 2027
Objectives
The Warm Healthy Homes Fund is intended to support the following objectives:
- improve the energy efficiency of homes occupied by lower-income households
- help reduce fuel poverty and improve thermal comfort
- support better health and wellbeing outcomes through warmer, healthier homes
- contribute to carbon reduction through improved home energy performance
- provide a longer-term framework for investment in private sector home energy efficiency
Background
Fuel poverty remains a significant issue in Northern Ireland and is closely linked to health, wellbeing and the quality of housing. Development of the Warm Healthy Homes Fund has taken place alongside the wider Warm Healthy Homes strategy, with early design and engagement activity undertaken during 2024.
During 2024, the Home Energy Branch team worked alongside the Fuel Poverty strategy team on pre-consultation engagement, including workshops and focus groups, to inform both the strategic direction and proposals for a new fuel poverty energy efficiency scheme. The Fund was then considered further through the public consultation on the draft Fuel Poverty Strategy, where questions addressed proposals relevant to the future scheme. Feedback from stakeholder engagement and consultation responses has helped shape the ongoing development of the Fund and its proposed whole-house approach.
The Fund also reflects lessons learned from the Affordable Warmth Scheme, with development focused on a more streamlined delivery model and a whole-house, fabric-first approach to tackling poor energy performance in the homes most affected by fuel poverty.
Results of engagement are available:
- Fuel Poverty Strategy Stakeholder Engagement Report
- Fuel Poverty Strategy consultation summary of responses
High-level timeline
The timeline below sets out the Fund’s planned implementation.
| Stage | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Stage 1 - Public consultation on the Warm Healthy Homes Fund | May 2026 to August 2026 |
| Stage 2 - Analysis of stakeholder engagement and consultation responses to inform final policy development and scheme design | August 2026 to September 2026 |
| Stage 3 - Final development, delivery planning and implementation of the Warm Healthy Homes Fund | From April 2027 |
In collaboration
The development of the Warm Healthy Homes Fund is supported by ongoing engagement across government and external stakeholders.
A Warm Healthy Homes Fund Project Board has been established and brings together high-level officials from across government to provide strategic oversight and support the development and delivery of the Warm Healthy Homes Fund.
A Warm Healthy Homes Fund Reference Panel has also been established and brings together representatives from the housing sector, community and voluntary organisations, the retrofit industry, and others with experience of tackling fuel poverty, poor housing conditions and energy affordability.
Organisations represented on the Reference Panel are:
H&A Group
Insulation Association of Ireland
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Department for Economy
Bryson Charitable Group
Disability Action
National Energy Action
Department of Finance
Age NI
Womens Support Network
Landlords Association Northern Ireland
Next stages
The public consultation on the Warm Healthy Homes Fund has now been launched and is open until 19 August 2026.
The consultation sets out the proposed approach for the Fund and provides an opportunity for stakeholders and the public to help shape its future development.
Consultation events will be held in Belfast, online and Omagh to provide an overview of the proposed Warm Healthy Homes Fund and give stakeholders an opportunity to share views to help inform the final design of the scheme.
| Event | Date | Location | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast event (NICVA) | 17 June 2026 | NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast BT15 2GB | Register for Belfast event |
| Online event | 24 June 2026 | Microsoft Teams | Register for online event |
| Omagh event (Omagh Enterprise Centre) | 30 June 2026 | Omagh Enterprise Centre, Great Northern Road, Omagh BT78 5LU | Register for Omagh event |
Contact
If you have any queries on the Warm Healthy Homes Fund, please contact Home Energy Branch.