Hightown Housing Association was pleased to take part in a visit by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to Hemel Hempstead this week, joining residents and local partners, including Dacorum Borough Council and Citizens Advice, to mark the launch of the government’s Warm Homes Plan.
The event was coordinated by PlaceShapers to discuss how the social housing sector is helping to tackle fuel poverty, improve energy efficiency and support families with the rising cost of living.
Members of the local community had the opportunity to share their experiences directly with the Prime Minister and highlight the impact that investment in warm, energy‑efficient homes can have on household budgets and wellbeing.
During his speech, the Prime Minister emphasised the government’s commitment to addressing the ongoing cost‑of‑living challenges facing families across the country. He highlighted the essential role of social housing providers in improving the energy performance of homes and reducing energy bills for customers.
Sir Keir Starmer said:
“A warm home shouldn’t be a privilege; it should be a basic guarantee for every family in Britain. The Warm Homes Plan marks a turning point. It will help to slash energy costs and lift up to a million people out of fuel poverty. By driving bills down for good and upgrading millions of homes, we’re giving people the security they need to get on in life.”
He also reflected on his own upbringing and the pressures facing many families today, noting the immediate government support to reduce energy bills and further investment designed to help households in the long term.
Andrew Royall, Hightown’s Executive Director of Development, outlined the association’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and meeting customer needs and our proactive response to the challenges of delivering greener homes.
He said:
“We were proud to have the opportunity to share with the Prime Minister the decisive steps Hightown is taking to meet the dual challenge of delivering more sustainable homes while ensuring our customers can enjoy warm, comfortable and affordable places to live.
“Sustainability has long been embedded in our development strategy. Since 2024, we have prioritised gas‑free developments and, over the past year, we have strengthened this commitment by approving only schemes that incorporate low‑carbon heating and hot water systems.
“We are also actively assessing opportunities to retrofit some of our existing homes with solar PV and we welcome the potential offered by the Warm Homes Plan to broaden this work even further. Looking ahead, we remain committed to building to the Future Homes Standard and await further detail on the new requirements with keen interest.”
Pictured above: Hightown's Head of Land, Sam Galvin, Sir Keir Starmer and colleagues from Placeshapers
Catherine Ryder, Chief Executive of PlaceShapers, welcomed the announcement and the opportunity for housing association members to share their achievements with the Prime Minister. She said:
“We strongly welcome the measures in the Warm Homes Plan. We were delighted to talk to Sir Keir about the shared ambition of the government and housing associations to lower energy bills and make homes greener and warmer for social housing residents.”
Hightown will continue working with government and sector partners to maximise the opportunities presented by the Warm Homes Plan and ensure more customers benefit from warm, sustainable and affordable homes.
