Condensation, damp and mould forum

Warm Homes Plan: the gap between promise and reality The Warm Homes Plan could be a major opportunity to improve people’s lives. But without clear funding, clear timescales and clear delivery routes, it risks becoming another missed opportunity. The government has committed £15bn to the Warm Homes Plan and it was presented as the solution to cold homes and high energy bills. But for the households we work with every day at the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), the picture on the ground looks very different. We still do not know what the Warm Homes Plan will look like in practice. Despite being announced in early 2026, full details have not been published. There has not even been a holding statement. Meanwhile we have waiting lists for grant funded retrofit work that are getting longer and longer… For people already living in cold, damp homes and struggling with high energy bills, every month of delay is another month of rooms at an unsafe temperature, high bills and waiting for help that has been promised but not yet delivered. A gap in funding, not just in time The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) provided around £1.3bn a year for home energy retrofit. It was certainly not a perfect programme. It needed stronger consumer protections and better oversight, but it was the largest single source of funding the retrofit sector has had. ECO has now been cancelled, officially ending in December 2026 . The Warm Homes Local Grant and Warm Homes Social Housing Fund both began in Apri

Bridget’s story 7 September 2026 When a government scheme helping those in fuel poverty ended, Bridget was left with a brand new heating system that was difficult to use and with little support on how to use it. Bridget* received help through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, which supported people experiencing fuel poverty to receive energy efficiency improvements to their homes. These installations were intended to make their homes cheaper and easier to heat, saving them energy and money in the long-term. However, just after Bridget’s new heating system was installed – which included insulation, solar panels, a heat pump, and a hot water cylinder – the ECO scheme ended, and so did the support from the installation company as it ceased trading in January 2026. Installation didn’t meet expected standards After weeks of what Bridget described as a ‘chaotic’ installation – where her home needed replastering and the installers left behind broken equipment – Bridget was keen to use and enjoy the benefits of her new heating system. But Bridget had been left in an even worse situation than before the installation. She now had a new heating system that was confusing to understand, two faulty solar panels that should have been removed from her property, radiators that only seemed to work in the rooms she used the least often, leaving other rooms cold and uncomfortable, and a new smart meter installed near the ceiling, which wasn’t automatically submitting readings due to co

New trustees bring “wealth of expertise and experience” 4 September 2026 Board of trustees strengthened by the appointment of three new members. The Centre for Sustainable Energy’s board of trustees has been strengthened by the appointment of three new members following a rigorous selection process. Barbara Hammond MBE (photo: left) is a recognised leader in community energy and sustainable development. Rachael Mills OBE (middle) is a leading figure in the heat networks and sustainability sector. And Dr Sarah Nelson (right) is an economist specialising in climate change, sustainability and environmental policy. Shantha Shanmugalingam, Chair of the trustee board said “I’m delighted to welcome Barbara, Rachael and Sarah as new Centre for Sustainable Energy trustees. They bring a wealth of expertise and experience in so many of the areas where CSE is looking to support communities and households. Ensuring a just transition has never been more important, and I look forward to working with them and the exceptional CSE team to achieve this”. More on the three new board members below, and you can read short biographies of all our trustees here . Dr Barbara Hammond MBE Barbara is a recognised leader in community energy and sustainable development and has served as founder and chief executive of the Low Carbon Hub since 2012. Through her leadership, the organisation has grown into one of the UK’s most influential community energy enterprises, delivering renewable energy projects, ener

Apply for the Youth Climate Action Fund 3 September 2026 Funding is available for young people to take climate action in their cities. Funding of up to £3,500 is available for youth-focused climate action projects. Secondary schools, sixth forms, further education colleges and training providers in Bristol can apply for between £800 and £3,500 to fund a project idea from a group of their young people. Funding comes from the Youth Climate Action Fund which supports young people to take climate action in their cities. Applications are now open until 5pm on Friday 6 November. Which projects are eligible? To be eligible, the project must fulfil these criteria: It is primarily designed, led and implemented by young people (15 to 24). It is new and not a continuation of an existing project. It takes place within the Bristol City Council area between November 2026 and April 2027. It involves at least one youth leader (aged 15 to 24) or can demonstrate that it has been co-designed by young people. It helps further the goals in the One City Climate Strategy (see summary here). The organisation proposing the project must be an education provider in Bristol and be prepared to submit reporting documents. Projects that are part of a school’s Climate Action Plan may be eligible, as long as they fulfil the criteria above. Projects with the most significant youth involvement will be prioritised. Looking for an idea? For project inspiration, see our list here . Want to know more? Talk to us!

How building community resilience to climate change benefits us all 1 September 2026 CSE has been working with Bristol Climate and Nature Partnership and local organisations to strengthen community approaches to extreme weather events. Community organisations are often at the heart of communities – they understand local challenges and offer a wide range of advice and support to many. As extreme weather becomes more common, these organisations are well-placed to provide guidance on prevention and what to do if an event occurs while considering the needs and capabilities of the wider community. This builds community resilience, which is how a community responds to and adapts to the impacts of climate change in their area. The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) has been working with Bristol Climate and Nature Partnership to develop bespoke guides for community organisations to understand and plan for extreme weather events. Our Local and Community Empowerment team at CSE explain why this work is so valuable… It’s been a hot, dry summer of record-breaking weather. From school closures and train disruptions to broken supermarket fridges, we’re seeing and feeling the impact of hotter weather in our daily lives. As a society, we’re learning how to adapt to events like extreme heat, but how can we collectively increase our resilience while supporting people most affected by climate impacts? At the Centre for Sustainable Energy our work with local communities brings us closer to thes

Summer fuel poverty: why new price cap is another blow 26 August 2026 For people who can’t afford to cool their homes, the price cap increase announced this week makes a dangerous situation worse. England is already on track for its highest number of heat-related deaths since records began. For people who can’t afford to cool their homes, the price cap increase announced this week makes a dangerous situation worse. And it hits hardest for people on low incomes living in poorly insulated homes, and some private renters, older people, disabled people, or families with young children. At the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), we’ve modelled what it would cost to keep a home safe during summer heat and what happens to fuel poverty numbers if we start counting cooling as a basic energy need. Fuel poverty rates could rise to 17%, and in a more extreme climate scenario, to as much as 29%. Yet the current definition of fuel poverty doesn’t account for summer cooling at all. What the new price cap means for those struggling to stay cool The new price cap marks yet another increase in the maximum price per unit of energy that suppliers can charge. This means that, even assuming their energy consumption stays the same, households will have to pay more for their annual energy bill. But energy consumption is not staying the same year-on-year. Summer overheating is likely to create a growing demand for the electricity needed to cool homes to a safe temperature. This means that bills will

Share your heat pump experience 20 August 2026 We’re looking to film homeowners who have installed heat pumps to improve the comfort of their home. We know there are lots of questions and myths out there about heat pumps, so we want to film and share some positive stories that focus specifically on improved comfort. To do this, we’re working with Retrofit West, a Community Interest Company (CIC) set up by the Centre for Sustainable Energy. No experience needed or scripts to learn. We want to share real people talking about their homes. Receive a £100 voucher If you have a heat pump installed, we’d love to hear from you. As a thank you for your time, you’ll receive a £100 One4All voucher that you can spend on a range of restaurants and shops. Register your interest Contact us Why we’re filming Heat pumps are 3-5x more efficient than gas boilers and don’t rely on burning fossil fuels, so we want to encourage people to start moving towards decarbonising their heating systems. We know there are lots of questions and myths out there about heat pumps, so we want to share some positive stories that focus specifically on improved comfort. When and where Filming will take place at your home on an agreed upon date. We are looking to get these filmed as soon as possible so we can get them out there, so think about your availability in September/October. We’ll agree on a time, and the whole visit will last between 2-5 hours, depending on your home and how much you’d like to share. What’s

New partnership with SSEN and Changeworks expands free advice 18 August 2026 New partnership brings free energy advice to more households across southern England For many people struggling with energy bills or cold homes, knowing where to get help is half the battle. A new partnership between the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and Scottish charity Changeworks means thousands more households across central southern England can now access free, expert advice through the network they already have a relationship with – their electricity provider. CSE has been commissioned to deliver free, personalised energy advice to people across central southern England as part of the new partnership, offering our impartial, practical support to people dealing with high bills, cold homes, and the shift to low-carbon heating. Karn Shah, Head of Advice at CSE, said: “Energy bills remain high, and more people are struggling to keep up. This new partnership with Changeworks and SSEN means we can reach even more households who need support to help them cut their bills, ensure their homes are a safe temperature and more energy efficient, and understand their route to a low-carbon future. “That’s what our CSE energy advisors do every day, and being able to extend that support through this project is the kind of collaboration that can make a real difference in someone’s life.” The service builds on CSE’s existing work with SSEN, including the Cos

Kathryn’s story 7 August 2026 When Kathryn’s new battery stopped working, she didn’t know who to turn to. Her installer had gone bust, and she’d been failed by a system that was meant to protect her. Kathryn* installed a battery in her home to save money on her energy bills. Domestic batteries are typically used alongside solar PV panels, but they can also be used to import and store electricity directly from the grid. This means they can still be a good option for people without solar PV, like Kathryn. Kathryn planned to import electricity when it was cheaper at night, store it using her battery, and then use it as she needed during the day. She was trying to do the right thing, reducing her bills and taking pressure off the grid. But only a month after the installation, her battery developed a fault. Failed by the system Kathryn’s battery installer had recently gone bust, but she knew they’d been certified – and that she was therefore still protected by an insurance-backed guarantee (IBG). The IBG would help her cover the cost of the repair or replacement. But when Kathryn contacted her consumer protection organisation, she was told that she didn’t have an IBG. No-one could explain why this had happened, but it meant she wasn’t guaranteed anything. The organisation allocated her a new installer, but the new installer said they wouldn’t provide her a new battery. Kathryn felt like she’d hit a dead end – because what use was an installer without a battery? “It made a real dif

Beacon CRM incident 4 August 2026 Yesterday, there was a security incident involving Beacon, the CRM system used by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to manage our contact data. Yesterday, there was a security incident involving Beacon, the CRM system used by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) to manage our contact data. It is important to note that this incident is not unique to the Centre for Sustainable Energy and affects organisations across the charitable sector that use Beacon’s CRM platform. We’re sorry to be sharing this news. We know it may be worrying, and we want to be as clear and honest as possible about what happened and what it means for you. What happened? Beacon recently identified a security incident affecting its systems. Following notification from Beacon, we conducted a review of the information stored in our Beacon account to determine whether any personal information relating to our contacts may have been affected. What information was involved? Our review indicates that the following categories of personal information held in Beacon may have been involved in this incident: Name, email and where provided address and phone number. Donation amounts and dates. The information that may have been accessed does not include bank account details or card numbers. It cannot be used to access bank account or make payments. What are the potential risks? It is possible that personal information held within Beacon was accessed without authorisation. Depend