UK's £15bn Warm Homes Plan offers free solar panels to millions.

The government unveiled a £15 billion Warm Homes Plan on 20 January to retrofit up to five million properties by 2030 with solar panels, heat pumps and insulation, and has ringfenced £5 billion for fully funded upgrades for low-income households.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband unveiled a £15 billion Warm Homes Plan on 20 January that aims to retrofit up to five million UK homes by 2030 with measures such as solar panels, heat pumps and insulation. Ministers describe it as the largest home retrofit programme in British history and say it is intended to tackle fuel poverty. The package includes a £5 billion fund for low-income households to receive fully funded installations, and a new Warm Homes Agency will co-ordinate delivery across the UK. Officials say the plan also covers Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and will combine public and private investment. Key details: - Target of up to five million properties to be upgraded by 2030. - Total government funding of £15 billion, with £5 billion ringfenced for low-income households who will receive fully funded solar and battery installations worth between £9,000 and £12,000. - Government-backed zero- or low-interest loans will be available to other homeowners, with loan details to be published later this year. - Heat pump grants of £7,500 remain in place, and air-to-air units that provide cooling as well as heating are now eligible for support. - Officials estimate the measures could lift around half a million families out of fuel poverty and note combined public and private investment could reach £38 billion, with an estimated 180,000 jobs supported. - The plan includes tougher energy-efficiency standards for private landlords and a street-by-street approach for social housing upgrades. Summary: The programme is designed to reduce cold, damp and costly homes by upgrading heating and insulation and tightening standards for rented properties, with ministers citing potential reductions in energy costs and fuel poverty. Implementation steps include setting up the Warm Homes Agency and publishing details of the loan schemes later this year.