The Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) has launched the Northern Housing Monitor 2021.  The report focuses on energy efficiency in the North’s existing homes, and the role of housing in decarbonisation and meeting net zero targets, with key findings being that:

1. Two thirds of the North’s homes are below Band C – the minimum target where practical, cost- effective and affordable by 2035
2. To bring homes in the North up to Band C requires retrofitting 270,000 homes each year to 2035. This is over 700 homes for every day of the year or, an astonishing one home every 2 minutes
3. New Builds are adding to the problem. Whilst 94% of homes built from 2016 attained Band C or better, almost 1 in every 17 newly built homes are below Band C. This proportion has risen every year since 2017
4. As only 8% of the 2050 housing stock will be built between 2025 and 2050, the task of Carbon Neutrality is primarily and especially in the North, an exercise in retrofitting
5. The EPC Inspections tell two stories of gradual improvement above Band D for homes brought to market, but much slower improvement at Band E and below suggesting a pool of marginal stock that is not improving
6. At the average rate of improvement 2017-2020, it will take 17 years for E or poorer Band housing to disappear from EPC results
7. Decarbonising the North’s homes by 2035 could generate 77,000 direct jobs in the North and 111,000 indirect jobs across the UK and
8. The North accommodates 33% of England’s fuel poor households. The Fuel Poverty gap is £207 million a year or £200 per fuel poor household.

The report also covers housing supply, homelessness, affordability and housing quality.