Riverside Announces £72m Retrofit Programme for Over 3,000 Homes

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Riverside housing association has committed to delivering a substantial £72 million retrofit programme to upgrade more than 3,000 homes across multiple regions in England. The initiative will be delivered over three years and build on previous retrofit efforts, significantly widening the scope and impact of the project.

The scheme benefits from £36 million in funding from the government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) Wave 3, with Riverside committing match‑funding of an equivalent amount. The homes set to benefit are located in Liverpool, Halton, Carlisle, the Langley estate in Middleton, and Enfield in London, with plans to expand into additional areas in future phases . Overseen by WPS (part of Wates Group), which delivered prior retrofits under WH:SHF Wave 2.1, the programme aims to enhance home energy efficiency, occupant comfort and help tackle fuel poverty, while reducing carbon emissions across the housing stock .

All homes involved in the retrofit will receive energy efficiency improvements in line with PAS 2035 standards. While specific measures in this phase have not been detailed, typical works under similar programmes include insulation, heating upgrades, ventilation, and other interventions targeting reduced energy consumption and carbon output .

Previous waves of this work have delivered valuable outcomes: the earlier programme saw over 1,000 homes upgraded across Carlisle, Halton, Liverpool and London, demonstrating tangible benefits to tenants through lower fuel bills and improved warmth .

What this means:
The £72 million retrofit initiative will deliver direct benefits to residents by improving living conditions and reducing energy bills, while contributing to broader national net‑zero goals through substantial reductions in household emissions. Backed by matching funding from Riverside and government support, this represents a scalable and socially inclusive model of retrofit delivery—one that balances environmental, economic and social outcomes.

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