Warm Front Scheme

The Warm Front scheme in England was a programme designed to help vulnerable households, including those in fuel poverty, to benefit from energy efficiency improvements such as home heating and loft insulation measures.

A total of 2.3 million households received assistance from the Warm Front scheme since it was launched in 2000. Following the October 2010 Spending Review, the funds available for Warm Front were reduced from £345 million in 2010/11 to £110 million in 2011/12 and £100 million in 2012/13. From April 2011, the eligibility criteria were tightened to target the most vulnerable households and those living in the more poorly heated and insulated homes.

Warm Front was criticised before its re-launch for not being sufficiently focused. The eligibility criteria were targeted towards more vulnerable households and poorly heated and insulated properties but the reduction in funds meant that fewer households could be assisted. The Green Deal has now replaced CERT, CESP, and Warm Front and ended the use of taxpayer-funds for energy efficient measures as all energy customers pay for the Green Deal through their energy bills.