The Government's Warm Homes, Greener Homes Strategy will help social housing landlords halve the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from the homes they own, the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) said.

Chief Executive of the TSA, Peter Marsh, said the strategy would particularly help nearly 500,000 households in the social housing sector who cannot afford to heat their homes.

"This puts the social housing sector at the very centre of tackling the impact of climate change and fuel poverty. It means that tenants will save money on heating their homes and it means less households suffering fuel poverty.

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"Tenants and landlords have told us that a higher standard of energy efficiency will help lower tenants' bills and provide better heating. This announcement today is a clear commitment from Government to work with the TSA to tackle this issue. The new Warm Homes Standard will help those most in need and contribute to the Government’s target to reduce carbon emissions from all homes by 29% by 2020."

A new energy company obligation is expected to provide a significant incentive for energy companies to seek to upgrade social housing in order to help more vulnerable households on low incomes.

The Warm Homes Standard will cover energy saving and renewable heat, and measures to adapt to climate change, as well as encouraging micro-generation.

(CD/GK)