The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has committed to consulting on a minimum energy efficiency standard in the social housing sector.

They say the consultation will happen within six months of the Social Housing Regulation Bill receiving Royal Assent.

It comes just weeks after the department issued its wave two funding for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, with up to £1.5bn being made available through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant schemes.

Local authorities and social housing providers will be able to submit bids for funding and will deliver upgrades from early next year until March 2025.

The announcement came as part of the news that it would be pushing for regulation of professionalism within the sector through a new amendment in the Social Housing Regulation Bill.