North Yorkshire Council
Report to Corporate Director for Community Development
27 May 2026
Council response to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Warm Homes Fund : Call for Evidence
Report of the Assistant Director of Housing
1.0 PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1 The report seeks approval from the Corporate Director for Community Development for submission of officer comments to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Warm Homes Fund: Call for Evidence.
2.0 SUMMARY
2.1 The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) issued a Call for Evidence on the Warm Homes Fund on 24 March 2026. The Call for Evidence requires responses to be submitted by 1 June 2026. The responses provided to relevant questions are included in Appendix A.
3.0 DETAILED PRESENTATION OF THE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE
3.1 DESNZ published the Warm Homes Plan earlier this year and announced the creation of a Warm Homes Fund. The Fund will support the home upgrade and retrofit supply chain and consider how innovative finance for investments and loans can be facilitated.
3.2 The Call for Evidence comprises 70 questions, seeking input on the draft aims and scope for the Fund, as well as strategic opportunities and challenges for using government finance to drive forward investments in home upgrades. Questions seek views on different use cases for the finance, including loans, equity investment, subscription or ‘energy as a service’ models, bulk purchasing, skills, community energy, and heat networks.
3.3 The council have expertise and experience in working towards the aims outlined in the Warm Homes Plan are currently delivering retrofit programmes for residents (Warm Homes: Local Grant) and council tenants (Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3).
3.4 Colleagues within Housing, Economic Development and Planning have provided responses to the Call for Evidence questions.
4.0 CONTRIBUTION TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES
4.1 Responding to the DESNZ Call for Evidence is an opportunity to contribute to national policy objectives and to ensure the specific needs of the council area are considered in the development of the Warm Homes Fund.
5.0 ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED
5.1 An alternative option would be to not provide a response to the Call for Evidence. This would exclude North Yorkshire specific input from the national policy development process.
6.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
6.1 There are no specific financial implications to the council from responding to this Call for Evidence. The responses will contribute to the development of the warm homes fund.
7.0 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
7.1 There are no legal implications to the council from responding to this Call for Evidence.
8.0 EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
8.1 There are no equalities implications to the council from responding to this Call for Evidence. See Appendix B.
9.0 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS
9.1 There are no climate change implications from responding to this Call for Evidence. See Appendix C.
10.0 CONCLUSIONS
10.1 This report recommends that the detailed responses included in Appendix A are submitted to DESNZ to contribute to the Warm Homes Fund: Call for Evidence.
11.0 REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
11.1 Officers have experience and expertise to provide insightful responses to the Call for Evidence, ensuring that North Yorkshire opportunities and challenges are communicated to central government. This directly contributes to the development of the Warm Homes Fund.
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12.0 |
RECOMMENDATION
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i) That the Corporate Director for Community Development approves the submission to the DESNZ Warm Homes Fund: Call for Evidence.
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APPENDICES:
Appendix A – Responses to the Warm Homes Fund: Call for Evidence
Appendix B – Equalities Impact Assessment Form
Appendix C – Climate Change Screening Form
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:
Warm Homes Fund Call for Evidence: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c183b7bb0dfe55b83e4be2/warm-homes-fund-call-for-evidence.pdf
Warm Homes Plan: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/warm-homes-plan
Nic Harne
Corporate Director – Community Development
County Hall
Northallerton
12/05/2026
Report Author – Hannah Nutsey
Presenter of Report – Lynn Williams
Note: Members are invited to contact the author in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.