Liverpool has secured an additional £42 million to expand its retrofitting programme, aimed at making nearly 5,000 low income households in the region more energy efficient and cheaper to heat.

Mayor Steve Rotheram said the new funding brings the city region’s total investment to £105 million, which will enable energy efficiency measures to be fitted to the homes of around 10,000 low income households.

The latest funding will allow measures including external wall insulation, roof insulation, heat pumps, and solar panels to be installed in homes.

The city region’s retrofit programme is tackling fuel poverty and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, with the ultimate aim of achieving net zero carbon by 2040 at the latest.

The new funding includes £31.7 million from the government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and £10.35 million from the Home Upgrade Grant scheme.

Councillor David Baines, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Portfolio Holder for Climate Emergency and Renewable Energy, said: “We know that if we are to successfully reach our target of becoming net zero carbon by 2040, we need to halve our energy use in the city region.

“The situation in our homes is even more challenging, as we will have to cut energy use by 60%.”