Josiah Lockhart, Chief Executive of Changeworks, shares insights from the organisation’s latest impact report, which highlights how Changeworks has helped householders lower their energy bills and home carbon emissions, and calls for cross-sector collaboration to unlock wider socio-economic benefits of decarbonising Scotland’s homes.
At Changeworks, our aim is to tackle the climate emergency through decarbonising Scotland’s homes. Across the UK, 61% of people living in social housing and 34% of the general population struggle to afford their energy bills. The UK has some of the leakiest and most inefficient homes in Europe, with 39% of Scots saying their home is often or always cold.
This highlights a dual challenge for many households: the cost pressures facing households and the economic and environmental consequences of outdated heating systems.
The economic benefit to improving the nation’s home energy efficiency is significant. Targeted retrofitting for all UK homes under the Warm Homes Plan (£13.2bn) is projected to cost less than the Elizabeth Line (£19bn), with the potential to generate eight times as many jobs.
With 13% of gas emissions coming from homes in Scotland and an alarming 34% of people living in fuel poverty, retrofitting homes is key for a just transition to net zero.
Impact and Growth
Over 2022-25, our last strategic plan period, we supported 215,000 households through energy advice and installing home energy efficiency measures. In 2024-25 alone, we provided energy advice to over 47,000 householders and helped over 12,000 households to install energy-efficient measures and renewables. Last year through our services, including our joint venture Warmworks, we saved 366,677 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to the annual electricity emissions of over 650,000 UK households.
This work makes a real difference, enabling householders to feel in control of their energy use, and live in more affordably warm, healthier, and comfortable homes – while stimulating demand for skilled jobs and services across the low-carbon economy. We expanded significantly over 2022-25, including growing our income by 60%. This enabled us to increase our impact and scale our services – including our joint venture Warmworks – and position retrofit as a driver of both social impact and market opportunity.
Forward Look
Changeworks enters the next strategic period as a sustainable, high-impact, and growing organisation. We will continue to innovate, working across public and private sectors to develop new business models to scale retrofit solutions.
Our expertise and scale mean we can empower householders and social landlords while also creating opportunities for suppliers, employers, and investors, all contributing to an accelerated just transition to net zero.
While our record of delivery and organisational growth over the past three years is encouraging, it is now vital that home energy efficiency is seen as a huge opportunity for cross-sector working.
The social, economic, and environmental benefits of our decarbonising Scotland’s homes are clear.
We will scale our services that we know can deliver affordable warmth for all – this includes working with employers via our Low Carbon Living sessions for employees, supporting householders directly through our Green Energy Helpline, and working with organisations through our consultancy and project management services.
Making a Real Difference
Our Green Energy Helpline service is available to support people in Central and Southern Scotland with advice on insulation, smart meters, energy tariffs, electric vehicles, and more.
Jane* contacted our helpline, as she was worried about her rising energy bills. She wanted advice on smart meters and other heating options.
Our advisor provided tailored guidance on energy efficiency, including smart meters, heat pumps, and solar panels.
To ensure Jane received the right help, the advisor referred her to our Affordable Warmth Services team for bill support and to Home Energy Scotland to check eligibility for government funding.
As a result, Jane qualified for the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme, which could provide free energy efficiency improvements to her home.
Through our advice and referrals, Jane is now better informed, supported with her energy bills, and has access to funding that could make her home warmer and more affordable to heat.
Alongside our energy advice services, our consultancy and delivery teams work collaboratively with local authorities, housing associations, and other third-sector organisations across Scotland, developing and implementing solutions to help householders feel warmer and more comfortable in their homes.
With tenant wellbeing at the heart of our work with social landlords, we provide end-to-end retrofit support, from housing stock analysis and strategy development through to quality-assured project delivery. We also provide research and impact evaluation services to enable evidence-based insights and ensure a just transition.
Together with partners and working across sectors, we can achieve our vision; we all have a part to play in the journey towards low-carbon, affordably warm homes.
*name has been anonymised.
