Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF)
The Greater Manchester Warm Homes Social Housing Fund (GMWH:SHF) is now open for applications.
Consultation
GMCA consulted social housing providers and their representatives on the draft GMWH:SHF wave 3 scheme guidance and application form. The responses have been considered, and feedback is provided in the responses document below.
GMCA GMWHSHF Wave 3 Consultation Responses v1 (pdf, 219KB)
Guidance
Prior to making an application, social housing providers with stock in Greater Manchester should read the scheme guidance documents below:
GMCA GMWHSHF Wave 3 Scheme Guidance v1 (pdf, 599KB)
GMCA GMWHSHF Wave 3 Eligible Expenditure Guidance v1 (pdf, 149KB)
Applications
The application deadlines for each phase are shown on page 11 of the guidance document. It would be helpful if applicants could complete and submit “Section 6- Forecasts” of the application form below, even if they do not intend to apply for funding in the next phase:
GMCA GMWHSHF Wave 3 Application Form v1.(xlsx, 571KB)
This is not mandatory, but it will help us to assess the likely demand for funding in each phase and financial year. We will not hold applicants to their forecasts, and they will be able to update them at each phase request.
Please note that funding for GMWH:SHF wave 3 is being secured through GMCA’s proposed integrated settlement under its Trailblazer Devolution Deal (external website), which has not yet been finalised. Therefore, GMCA reserves the right to vary or cancel any of the phases of GMWH:SHF wave 3 at any stage, prior to grant funding being awarded.
If you have any questions, please contact SHDF@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk and we will respond as soon as possible. Anonymised FAQs will be added to this webpage periodically.
FAQs
What is the devolved net zero funding pilot?
GMCA will receive an allocation of funding to deliver retrofitting of social housing differently in Greater Manchester. Local authorities, and other stakeholders such as housing associations, will work with GMCA and will not be eligible to apply to the national scheme.
As a Local Authority / Housing Association that has received previous funding for domestic retrofit from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, why are we no longer able to bid directly to the national scheme?
Devolution is a key government priority, and GMCA will receive a proportion of funding from the national retrofit scheme for their areas rather than applying to central government. Government is piloting the approach of local devolution within Greater Manchester to retrofit, which will have greater autonomy to prioritise investment based on its local knowledge and role in co-ordination.
As a Local Authority / Housing Association, how will we be able to access funding for retrofit works to the homes in our area?
GMCA will receive an allocation of national scheme funding for retrofitting homes in its area. Therefore, constituent local authorities and housing associations will not be permitted to access funding via the national scheme for their stock in Greater Manchester. Instead, constituent local authorities and housing associations need to seek funding via GMCA.
How much money will be made available to GMCA?
GMCA has received a commitment of a proportionate share of the national scheme funding.
Can PAS2035:2019 Retrofit Assessments be used in Wave 3?
No, all Retrofit Assessments in Wave 3 must be done or upgraded to PAS2035:2023.
Can we receive funding for digital monitoring equipment in Wave 3?
No, digitalisation was a specific component of Wave 2.1 only and is not available in Wave 3. Therefore, digitalisation costs can no longer be grant funded. However, smart heating controls remain eligible.
What is the start date for the first phase of Wave 3?
If your bid is approved, we can cover project costs incurred from 1 April 2025. Therefore, you can start your project on 1 April 2025 in advance of funding being awarded, but it would be at your risk.
What is the end date for the first phase of Wave 3?
The end date should reflect when the properties listed in Section 7 will be completed. This should be by 31 March 2026 at the latest, unless the properties are in a block that needs to be done together, and completion of the block will go into 2026-27.
Can we include void properties in Wave 3?
Yes, you can include properties that are currently void. If they are not currently void, you could state the address as “VOID” in Section 7 but would need to estimate the likely starting and finishing EPC band, measures required, and costs.
Can co-funding be spent over the six months after the end of each financial year in Wave 3, as was possible in Wave 2.1?
No, both grant and co-funding must be spent by the end of each financial year unless the properties are in a block that needs to be done together, and completion of the block will go into 2026-27.
Why do we need to provide a figure for A&A costs if A&A grant is being provided as a fixed 10% of the capital grant in Wave 3?
We still need to show the amount of A&A costs that are being incurred for monitoring and audit purposes. A&A should be categorised in accordance with the eligible expenditure guidance document provided above.