The National Housing Federation today welcomed Government changes to the Green Deal that will allow the retrofit initiative to work better for the social housing sector and its residents.

National Housing Federation policy leader Pippa Read said: "We have consistently argued that housing associations could secure big cuts in carbon and bills for their tenants and others with the correct detailed design for Green Deal.

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"It is great that the Government has listened to us. But we need to monitor the emerging framework to ensure housing associations are given all the tools they need to deliver for their residents and communities.

"In addition to confirming that more costly to treat property types will be eligible for Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding, the Government is encouraging a much more open and transparent approach to bidding for funding and has simplified some of the proposed Green Deal bureaucracy.

"We will continue to press the Government to think again about the continuing exclusion of social landlords from one pot of funding for fuel poverty, and to simplify the process of securing consent for work in blocks of flats."

(CD)