Fuel poverty strategy signals new housing standards in NI

Recently RSUA shared details of the Department for Communities’ (DfC)  public consultation on its proposed Warm Healthy Homes Fund, due to be introduced in 2027.

The Fund is intended to support the delivery of the actions contained within the Warm Healthy Homes Strategy 2026–2036, Northern Ireland’s new fuel poverty strategy, with the stated aim of investing approximately £150 million over the first five years.

The Strategy seeks to balance emergency support for households with a longer-term programme of measures to improve the energy efficiency of homes, strengthen consumer protections and improve access to advice and support.

Strategic actions

The following of the 33 actions in the Strategy are likely to be among the most interesting to architects:

• 2026: Introduce a revised and updated Decent Homes Standard for social housing.
• 2027: Launch an ambitious, long-term Warm Healthy Homes Fund.
• 2027: Introduce Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) legislation for the Private Rented Sector, with an operational date to be confirmed following consultation.
• 2030: Establish improved fitness standards for all tenures.
• TBC: Assess and implement the fairest, most effective way to fund future investment in energy efficiency for low-income households.
• TBC: Require all publicly funded residential retrofit projects to adhere to common minimum standards.
• TBC: Introduce a One Stop Shop.
• TBC: Co-ordinate design and delivery of consistent, flexible, transparent domestic energy efficiency schemes across government to target those most in need.

 Further information

The Warm Healthy Homes Strategy can be accessed in full here.

If you have any questions or comments about the Strategy, please contact Curtis Large, RSUA Policy and Public Affairs Officer, at curtis@rsua.org.uk