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There's just 33 working days left for any grant recipients with on-site works to be completed before the Tuesday 31 March deadline.
We acknowledge and appreciate the dedication and hard work grant recipients are putting in to maximise delivery and complete activities associated with project closure.
In this month's newsletter, we share important reminders and updates including:
- tomorrow's DMS data submission deadline (Friday 13 February)
- a reminder to lodge as you go on the TrustMark data warehouse
- an instruction to stay in touch until you're notified your project has officially closed
- opportunities to showcase your project, especially for those heading towards completion or who have recently completed, by hosting us for a site visit
Your DMS report is due tomorrow
Your monthly data management system (DMS) report is due on the tenth working day of each month.
This means that your February deadline is tomorrow, Friday 13 February.
Visit the SHDF Hive's monthly reporting resources webpage for materials to help with the accuracy and completion of your report.
Keeping in contact until your project can officially close
Please remember that your project has not officially closed or exited from the SHDF Wave 2 scheme until you have received written confirmation of this milestone from the department.
As detailed on the SHDF Hive closure guidance, the checklist does not yet reflect all activities required aligned with project closure and additional activities and resources may be added to the checklist over time.
While we work with the department to confirm a complete list of activities required for project closure, we kindly ask you to continue to engage with your project support officer (PSO), who is supporting you with the closure process.
Don't wait, lodge as you go
TrustMark data warehouse lodgement information is required for all measures installed through the SHDF Wave 2 scheme and accurate and timely TrustMark lodgements will ensure your project can close smoothly.
Lodgements provide assurance that works meet PAS standards, protecting residents and maintaining quality.
To avoid any irrecoverable delays that could put your work and funding at risk, we strongly encourage lodgements to be completed throughout project delivery, rather than waiting until your delivery is complete.
Video guides to assist with lodgements can be found via the TrustMark website and tips and advice for TrustMark photo evidence can be found on our website.
Grant recipients actively delivering through the Wave 2 scheme should have received a letter from Salix assistant director for housing Kevin Smallwood confirming a lodgements offer.
Upon request, this offer will allow up to eight weeks additional time (to Tuesday 26 May 2026) specifically to complete TrustMark lodgements.
As with any other request for scope changes, grant recipients who require additional time for lodgements must complete a project change request (PCR) form and submit this to their SPOC or PSO as part of change control.
Requests for additional time to complete lodgements should be submitted no later than Friday 27 February 2026, and we will endeavour to give a response as quickly as possible.
If you have any questions about this letter or require a copy of the communication, please speak with your PSO.
Access to the energy efficiency installation checker
The energy efficiency installation checker (EEIC) is primarily a counter-fraud tool developed for use by grant recipients as part of eligibility and compliance checks to:
- flag potential existing measures in proposed properties and enable resolution of fraudulent or erroneous duplicate funding
- access TrustMark/MCS data to perform due diligence checks, ensuring measures installed under the scheme are appropriately lodged and compliant with scheme rules
- use the energy performance certificate (EPC) data for preventing and detecting fraud, error and non-compliance – including analysing existing property and measure characteristics to identify anomalies
Grant recipients can gain access to the energy efficiency installation checker by reaching out to their project support officer (PSO) for more information.
Note: to be provided with access to the EEIC, grant recipients will need to sign a data sharing agreement and agree to the user access policy terms. Super users may also be required to complete an additional form.
If you had any spend in 2025/26, evidence checks are getting underway
The delivery partner (DP), PwC, conducts regular financial reconciliation and evidence checks to ensure expected and confirmed project spend is aligned.
Please keep an eye on your inbox for the relevant template and guidance to support this activity. This will be shared by the PwC finance team on completion of the year 2 financial reconciliation template.
Grant recipients who've reached 'tools down' and are preparing for co-funding reconciliation and submission are also invited to join our finance team for a practical session on completing the co-funding reconciliation template and compiling compliant evidence for co-funding contribution.
This session will be held online via MS Teams on Tuesday 24 February from 10.30am to 11.30am.
See more and register to attend.
Additional sessions will also be available to support grant recipients with the requirements of this process.
Please liaise with the DP who can share a full list of events and registration links to attend.
Data reconciliation – is it a match?
As a part of project closure, our teams will work to verify and review your TrustMark and DMS data to ensure there are no errors, omissions or inconsistencies in your records.
Your project cannot fulfil its requirements for closure until this process - called data reconciliation - is complete.
Visit the SHDF Hive for further guidance and information.
Warm Homes Plan publication
As you should be aware, the government published it's Warm Homes Plan on Tuesday 20 January.
The plan will deliver £15 billion of public investment, roll out upgrades to up to five million homes that could save them hundreds on energy bills and help to lift up to a million families out of fuel poverty by 2030.
Visit the government website for a copy of the plan.
PV batteries update for Wave 2 grant recipients
As of Monday 2 February, PV batteries are once again an eligible measure for installation for Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2 projects.
This means that grant recipients may resume installation of planned solar PV batteries during the remainder of your co-funding period, provided such measures have been approved through a change request. The department’s priority is to support grant recipients in completing current commitments smoothly as you come to the end of delivery.
For a full copy of this information, please contact your SPOC/PSO.
New on the SHDF Hive
The SHDF Hive exists to support grant recipients in navigating the final stages of your SHDF Wave 2 projects.
Alongside key information on project closure, monthly reporting resources, lessons learnt and more, the Hive now hosts a page specific to project change requests (PCRs).
On this page you will find information on key points to consider when developing a PCR, the process and who to contact.
Visit the SHDF Hive PCR webpage for more information.
Showcase your project by hosting us for a site visit
A site visit is an exciting opportunity to showcase your organisation's project, discuss challenges and opportunities and celebrate successful outcomes for your residents.
As more grant recipients head towards closure and completion for their projects, it's the perfect time to host us on site so you can demonstrate to us first hand all your successes and achievements delivering through the scheme.
If you’re interested in hosting us, please complete the form below and one of our team will contact you to arrange next steps.
Be a part of what's next – how to stay in touch
Whether you've reached tools down or if you're already navigating through the project closure process – we want to stay connected with you.
Keep receiving news, latest case studies, industry best practice, knowledge sharing opportunities and more by opting in to our Learning Community mailing list.
Unsure if you've missed a communication?
The historic communications webpage on the SHDF Hive details an overview of key communications sent to grant recipients by us (Salix) or the department.
If you're unable to locate or didn't receive a communication listed on the page, please contact your SPOC.
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