Cllr Rebecca Shoob’s Statement on Housing Energy Efficiency: A Closer Look

At the full council meeting on 26 February, Cllr Rebecca Shoob (Green), Cabinet Member for Housing (pictured) , provided an update on the Council’s progress in improving the energy efficiency of its housing stock. She stated:

“Since being awarded social housing decarbonisation funding to help us install energy efficient measures into 425 of our council homes across the past two and a half years, we’ve invested £8 .2 million in bringing our worst performing homes up to EPC C and above…. In wave one we focused on homes with an energy rating of below D, so that’s E, F and G. And Wave 2 has been more Es and Ds. By working in this way, we’re tackling the worst performing homes at first, and we’re very pleased to be able to say that currently 73 .7 % of the Council’s homes are rated at EPC C or above.”

However, a closer examination of the Council’s own data raises questions about the accuracy of this claim.

On 12 May 2021, the Council commissioned Rapley to conduct a housing stock survey across its 3,397 properties. The survey, completed on 10 December 2021, revealed that 47% of these homes (1,597 properties) required upgrades to meet the EPC ‘C’ target. This finding is detailed on page 6 of the Council’s Housing Carbon Reduction Approach document.

Since September 2022, the Council has spent £8.2 million to upgrade 425 homes to EPC ‘C’ or above. This leaves 1,172 homes (34.5% of the total stock) still below the target. Based on these figures, only 65.5% of Council homes currently meet the EPC ‘C’ standard—significantly lower than the 73.7% claimed by Cllr Shoob at full council.

Furthermore, the Council’s Housing Carbon Reduction Approach (page 7) estimates that £12.4 million is needed to bring all homes up to EPC ‘C’ by 2030. With £8.2 million already spent on 425 homes, two-thirds of the budget has been exhausted. This raises concerns about how the remaining 1,172 homes will be upgraded without additional funding.

The Council’s ‘worst first’ approach prioritizes properties with the lowest EPC ratings. 

To assess the real-world “worst first” council approach, we examined two streets in Lydd and  Folkestone—areas identified as deprived according to the ONS indices of deprivation. These streets contain 138 Council households, and data from the public EPC Register (as of 2 March 2025) reveals:

• 70 homes (50.72%) have an EPC rating of D or below.
• 33 homes (24%) have expired EPCs.
• The 70 homes with EPC ratings of D or below emit over 250 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Extrapolating this to the 1,172 homes requiring upgrades, the total annual CO2 emissions exceed 3,500 metric tonnes. To offset this, the Council would need to plant 100,000 trees—a staggering figure that underscores the scale of the challenge. To help understand what one metric tonne of CO2 looks like see the graphic below

The energy inefficiency of these homes has a direct financial impact on tenants, particularly in deprived areas. For example:

• EPC G-rated homes cost tenants £1,516 more annually (£126 per month) compared to the best-performing Council homes.
• EPC F-rated homes cost £1,428 more annually (£119 per month).
• EPC E-rated homes cost £1,208 more annually (£101 per month).
• EPC D-rated homes cost £909 more annually (£76 per month).

These additional costs disproportionately affect low-income households, forcing them to allocate more of their disposable income to heating. Given that the Council’s underinvestment in energy efficiency is a contributing factor, it is reasonable to suggest that the Council should provide financial assistance to these tenants to offset their higher energy bills.

According to the Kent Housing Group to which FHDC belong, 76% of fuel poor households live in a home which are not energy efficient and has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E to G.

• 34% of fuel poor households contain a person with a long term illness or disability.
• 10% of fuel poor households contain a person over the age of 75.
• 20% of fuel poor households contain a person under the age of five.
• 20% of fuel poor households live in rural areas.
• 82% of fuel poor households live in houses not flats or bungalows.
• A third of fuel poor households are found in a fifth of the most deprived households.

While the Council has made progress in upgrading some of its housing stock, the data suggests that Cllr Shoob’s claim of 73.7% compliance with EPC ‘C’ standards may be overstated. With 1,172 homes still below the target and two-thirds of the budget already spent, significant challenges remain. The Green led Council must address these issues urgently, not only to meet its decarbonisation goals but also to alleviate the financial burden on tenants in deprived areas.

Finally, as a Council led by the Green Party, which frequently emphasizes the need to reduce carbon emissions, we must question whether the Council is truly practicing what it preaches. There is growing concern that the policies being implemented are disproportionately affecting tenants in deprived areas, significantly impacting their disposable income. Are they simply ‘talking the talk’ rather than ‘walking the walk’ when it comes to balancing environmental goals with social equity?

We’ll leave you to ponder that.

If you are struggling to pay your energy bills you may find some help by contacting any of the following

Ofgem provide energy advice – Energy advice for households | Ofgem 

The Energy Saving Trust – Energy Saving Trust  

Citizens Advice – Your energy supply – Citizens Advice

Priority Services Register – Join your supplier’s Priority Services Register | Ofgem

Cold Weather Payments if you get certain benefits etc. – Cold Weather Payment: Overview – GOV.UK

The Warm Home Discount –  Warm Home Discount Scheme: Overview – GOV.UK

Depending on your age and income you may be entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment – Winter Fuel Payment: Overview – GOV.UK

The Shepway Vox Team

Dissent is NOT a Crime