The competition will be launched in late August/early September this year, and the submission of applications will open at least five working days before the close of the competition.

The delivery window will run to 30th June 2025 and all grants must be transferred to recipients by 31st March 2025 — meaning projects can use only co-funding in the final three months of delivery.

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The Wave 2.1 — a successor to the SHDF wave 1 — will allocate as much as possible of the £800m committed as part of the 2021 Spending Review settlement in order to support the installation of energy performance measures in social homes in England.

Local and combined authorities, as well as registered providers of social housing can apply directly to the scheme.

Meanwhile, non-registered providers who are arms-length management organisations (ALMOs) or registered with the charity commission can only apply as part of a consortium that is led by a local authority, combined authority, or registered provider of social housing.

All existing social housing (as defined by the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008) with an EPC rating of below C is eligible for upgrade funding under the scheme.