Delivering Warmer Homes: Leadership, Public Service and the Future of Retrofit

For many leaders in the UK’s retrofit and decarbonisation sector, the journey into the industry has been anything but predictable. For Caroline Withey, the Programme Director of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the path began in an entirely different profession.

Caroline began her career as a primary school teacher in South-East London, spending two years in the classroom before deciding it was time for a new challenge. That decision led her into the civil service, and into a career that would ultimately place her at the centre of one of the UK’s most significant programmes to improve the energy efficiency of social housing.

Her introduction to project delivery came unexpectedly through a role at the Office for National Statistics.

“I entered the world of project delivery by chance,” she explains. “But I quickly realised it suited me and the way my brain works.”

From there, she built experience across a wide range of major programmes in government. At the Ministry of Justice, she worked on projects including judicial pension reform, estates transformation and the procurement of interpretation contracts. Later roles included leading a transformation project at HM Revenue & Customs and supporting the UK’s EU exit preparations at the Cabinet Office.

Working across multiple departments and policy areas proved invaluable in shaping her approach.

“Moving between departments and working on different types of projects helped me broaden my knowledge, experience and skillset,” she reflects.

In 2020 Caroline joined what is now the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, where she played a key role in establishing the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) and Local Authority Delivery (LAD) schemes - two early initiatives designed to support the delivery of energy efficiency improvements in homes across England.

Two years later she took on the role of Programme Director for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, now known as the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, leading the programme responsible for supporting the installation of energy efficiency measures in social homes nationwide.

“I never expected to work in the housing and energy efficiency sector when I first started my career,” she says. “But I am proud to lead a scheme that delivers a real difference to residents across England by reducing energy bills, delivering warmer homes, and improving comfort and wellbeing.”

A career shaped by balance and perspective

Reflecting on the key moments that shaped her career, Caroline emphasises that progress has not always followed a straightforward path.

“Like many women, my career has not been linear,” she says.

During her time at the Ministry of Justice she took two periods of maternity leave, experiences that helped shape her perspective on career progression and professional development.

She strongly believes that maternity or shared parental leave should never limit opportunities or long-term progression. However, she also made a conscious decision not to actively pursue promotion while her children were young.

“That decision allowed me to build depth and breadth in my skills and experience, while maintaining a balance between work and home that suited me and my family,” she explains.

Looking back, she has no regrets about that choice. Instead, she sees it as an important reminder that careers develop over time.

“A career is a marathon, not a sprint,” she says. “Taking different roles allowed me to learn more about what motivates me at work and how I can add the most value.”

Leadership through collaboration and learning

Over the course of her 25 years in the civil service, Caroline’s leadership style has continued to evolve.

She emphasises the importance of adaptability, reflection and collaboration when leading complex programmes.

“I’ve definitely developed the ability to flex my leadership style over time,” she says. “I don’t always get it right, but I reflect on those situations and aspire to improve continuously.”

A key part of her leadership philosophy is recognising that no individual has all the answers.

“Understanding your own strengths and limitations, and bringing together diverse skills and perspectives, is essential to delivering the best outcomes,” she explains.

She also believes strongly in investing time in the development of others.

“My advice is to support your team to learn and ‘have a go’ in a safe environment,” she says. “Even if it might be quicker to do something yourself, investing in people ultimately pays dividends.”

Above all, she emphasises the importance of looking after colleagues and supporting wellbeing in the workplace.

“Health and wellbeing are the most important things - for you, your team, your peers and your colleagues.”

Overcoming barriers and supporting others

Like many women in senior leadership positions, Caroline’s career has not been without its challenges.

She recalls one particularly difficult moment early in her career when her commitment to work was questioned by a senior colleague after she returned from maternity leave.

“Sadly, like many women, I have had to overcome barriers along the way,” she says.

However, she is quick to point out that such experiences have been outweighed by the many positive opportunities and supportive colleagues she has encountered throughout her career.

In response, she has made supporting other women a personal priority.

“I believe it is important to support other women in their careers, as I myself have been supported over the years,” she says.

Alongside her day-to-day responsibilities, Caroline regularly contributes to women’s networks across and beyond government, and mentors individuals from under-represented groups.

She also supports the work of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund stakeholder engagement team in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion across retrofit programmes.

A historic moment for the sector

Looking ahead, Caroline believes the Warm Homes Plan represents a defining opportunity for the retrofit sector.

“The Warm Homes Plan is a historic moment,” she says. “It sets out a clear ambition to upgrade five million homes by 2030 and lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty.”

Central to that ambition is £5 billion in direct support for low-income households, delivered through various programmes including the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and Warm Homes: Local Grant.

She highlights the recent allocation of an additional £295 million to the Social Housing Fund Wave 3 for the 2026–27 financial year as a particularly exciting development.

“This provides an important opportunity for existing grant recipients and certain mayoral strategic authorities receiving devolved retrofit funding,” she explains.

Looking to the future, the government also intends to integrate the Social Housing Fund and Local Grant into a single low-income capital scheme, supporting a more coordinated area-based delivery approach.

“This will build on the successes of schemes to date while implementing the lessons we have learned along the way,” she says.

Despite the scale of the challenge, she remains optimistic about the potential impact.

“This funding will help many households to achieve lower energy bills and warmer homes.”

Creating pathways into green careers

Beyond the delivery of retrofit programmes themselves, Caroline believes the sector must continue working to ensure that green careers are accessible to a wider and more diverse workforce.

She praises organisations such as Women in Rising Green Careers for creating supportive spaces where women across the sector can connect and share experiences.

Within government programmes, she says, there is also a strong focus on promoting social value and placing residents at the heart of retrofit delivery.

This includes the development of a toolkit to help housing providers promote equality, diversity and inclusion across retrofit projects.

However, she acknowledges that more progress is still needed.

“I have attended roundtable discussions where I was the only woman at the table,” she says. “It is important that we reflect on whose voices are shaping these conversations.”

Creating meaningful opportunities for women, she argues, requires intentional action from organisations across the sector.

Practical steps could include specific hiring initiatives, mentoring programmes, job shadowing opportunities and flexible working arrangements that support individuals with wider responsibilities.

Advice for the next generation

For women and girls considering careers in the retrofit and decarbonisation sector, Caroline’s advice is simple.

“Don’t be afraid to try something new and step outside of your comfort zone,” she says.

The sector offers a wide range of opportunities, and exploring different paths can help individuals find the roles that best suit their skills and interests.

She also encourages women to seek out supportive professional networks.

“Organisations that connect women in the sector are invaluable,” she explains. “They provide a space to share experiences, build confidence and support one another.”

Ultimately, improving gender balance in the sector will depend on both participation and support.

“There will only be an improved gender balance if women feel able to get involved and are supported to do so,” she says.