Low Carbon Hub, the Oxfordshire community energy organisation, published Your Home Retrofit Guide on 30 October 2025. The guide sets out what retrofit means, which measures to tackle first, how to find funding and where to go for advice, and it is written for both homeowners and renters1.
The guide describes retrofit as improving an existing home so it keeps heat in and uses less energy to run, and says the work does not have to be done all at once. It recommends starting with low-cost measures: sealing draughts around doors and windows, swapping old bulbs for LEDs, fitting thermostatic radiator valves, and insulating hot-water pipes and tanks1. For households not ready to change heating system, it says boiler efficiency can still be improved by lowering the flow temperature to around 55 to 60°C and balancing radiators1.
On funding, the guide points to the Energy Saving Trust for independent information, the Gov.uk Help to Heat schemes for national programmes, and council-run schemes and advice pages, including those from Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire district councils. It also names Better Housing Better Health for households struggling to afford bills1. It cites a recent Parliamentary report on retrofitting homes for net zero, which found that most homes standing in 2050 have already been built, and identified short-term funding schemes that are hard to navigate, limited public awareness and a shortage of skilled retrofit professionals as common barriers1.
"The report highlights common barriers that many households face: short-term funding schemes that are hard to navigate, limited public awareness, and a shortage of skilled retrofit professionals."
The guide sets out a sequence: understand the home, reduce heat loss through insulation, airtightness and glazing, get ventilation right, then upgrade heating, and stay in control with smart thermostats and balanced radiators. It warns that older and solid-wall homes need particular care over moisture, with breathable materials such as lime plaster and steady ventilation, and suggests monitoring humidity at between 40 and 60 per cent after improvements1. On choosing installers, it advises getting two or three quotes and comparing what is included, not just the price1. For renters, it suggests talking to a landlord about grants or efficiency upgrades and using draught-proofing or a portable dehumidifier1.
| Home type | What the guide highlights |
|---|---|
| Solid-wall | Internal or external insulation, with moisture control and ventilation; secondary glazing; sealing around floors and lofts |
| Cavity-wall | Check insulation condition, top up loft insulation, combine with efficient heating and controls |
| Flats and terraces | Coordinate with neighbours or managing agents; focus on shared walls, windows and ventilation |
Why it matters for households
Retrofit is the main route by which an existing home reduces how much energy it buys, which is the practical basis of energy independence for a household. The guide's emphasis on fabric first, then ventilation, then heating reflects the order in which measures tend to protect each other: insulation without controlled airflow risks damp, and a heat pump works best in a well-insulated home with radiators sized for low-temperature heating1. The barriers it cites, short-term funding and a thin supply of skilled professionals, are the same ones that determine how quickly a household can move from small measures to whole-home work. The guide notes that 50 low carbon community groups supported by Low Carbon Hub are active locally, running events and sharing experience1.
What happens next
No further publication or scheme dates are given in the guide. It directs readers to the Retrofit Zone at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre, described as a free hands-on space with real examples of insulation, ventilation, glazing and heating systems, and to Cosy Homes Oxfordshire for tailored advice1. Funding schemes and eligibility are described as changing often, with the Energy Saving Trust and Gov.uk listed as the places to check current programmes1.
Sources1 cited
- Your Home Retrofit Guide - Low Carbon Hub, lowcarbonhub.org