Why our Annual Conference in February will be our most important yet
December 2025
Every year, National Energy Action aims to inspire delegates by showcasing the latest developments in taking national and local action for warmer homes. This February, we hope our Annual Conference will be our biggest and most impactful annual flagship event to date.
Beyond convening and motivating our key stakeholders, there are several reasons why our flagship event and its timing are so important.
The Warm Homes Plan
Our conference will take place when it is never been more important to understand the emerging delivery and funding landscape. The UK Government is about to set out the details of a new major multi-year and multi-billion-pound energy efficiency package – the Warm Homes Plan.
The UK Government has already confirmed that this will include new forms of targeted support for fuel poor households in England and additional resources for each of the other UK nations. Local authorities and social housing providers are anticipated to continue being at the forefront of energy efficiency delivery plans, potentially helping to target some of the most fuel poor areas across England. The UK Government is also due to strengthen energy efficiency regulations in both the private and social rented sector, directly improving housing conditions in over 1.5 million fuel poor households by 2030.
In addition, 2.7m more GB low-income households on means-tested benefits will be receiving an automatic £150 rebate this winter directly off their energy bills via the Warm Home Discount. The next scheme period is due to start in April 2026 and is anticipated to run for five years from winter 2026-27 to winter 2030-31 and support 6 million households every year, up from 2.2 million 10 years ago.
Debt write-off scheme
Early in 2026, Ofgem will initiate a new scheme to write off up to £500 million of historic debt, built up during the recent energy crisis. The first phase could help around 195,000 low-income people across GB who are in the deepest energy debt. From April 2026, the Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs) will begin to deliver a second round of multi-year VCMA funding, helping National Energy Action and other organisations to support thousands of households with mental and physical health conditions who are in, or at risk of, fuel poverty. District Network Operators may also be given a new significant role in facilitating demand reduction to avoid needless network reinforcements.
We hope we will help delegates at our Annual Conference to explore how these new policy drivers can help unlock new approaches to end fuel poverty and underline why now is the time for forging new strategic collaborations and developing new effective approaches.
National Energy Action is also currently delivering more direct support to vulnerable households than ever before. We will provide delegates with the latest insights and learning from our own work and showcase the transformational impacts we are having for people in or at risk of fuel poverty. The conference will also be taking place in the North East on our 45th birthday, when the development of ambitious regional approaches to tackling fuel poverty are potentially in sight. We hope our conference will actively galvanise and shape these efforts.
Peter Smith, National Energy Action’s Director of Policy and Advocacy