The Sizewell C grants worth thousands to homeowners

Hundreds of thousands of pounds is to be made available to homeowners who rent their properties to construction workers on the new Sizewell C nuclear plant.

Sizewell's £12m Housing Grant Scheme was launched to increase the amount of accommodation available to contractors working on the site, near Leiston in Suffolk.

Anyone who owns a property, or has a spare room, annexe, or garage which could be converted to a "lettable standard" can apply for funding.

A Freedom of Information request revealed between November 2024 and November 2025, East Suffolk Council - which is delivering the scheme - paid £157,567 in grants and committed to paying grants worth £405,850.

The data showed 32 grants had already been paid with 19 new bed spaces "delivered".

Inspections take place before the grants are handed over, and again when work is finished - with six completed so far.

"The fund's purpose is to help maintain balance and stability in the local housing market by mitigating the impacts associated with Sizewell C's development," a council spokesperson said.

"The grants not only increase housing availability and support the local economy but also improve the energy performance of homes.

"The initiative ensures our communities benefit from the Sizewell C project while improving and maintaining high standards of housing and sustainability."

Applicants can choose between two different grants: the minor works grant and the renovation grant.

The minor works grant pays up to £3,000 per room and the renovation grant is worth up to £7,000 per bed space. Both are designed to help convert properties into licensable standard houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

Additional Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) funding of up to £2,500 is available where a property holds a valid EPC certificate of a rating D-G.

The money is handed over once all works have been completed and properties must remain available to workers for a minimum of five to 10 years, depending on the grant.

Sizewell C - a new £38bn two-reactor nuclear power station - is expected to be operational in the mid to late 2030s.

It will generate 3.2 gigawatts of electricity and will reportedly power the equivalent of about six million homes and generate electricity for 60 years.

At the construction's height, the project will require the expertise and labour of 7,900 workers, with about 2,600 coming from the local area.

More than 500 of them can use on-site accommodation at the former Pontins site in Pakefield, which Sizewell C took over last year, while the rest will be using private accommodation or an accommodation campus being built on the main development site.

Michael Sinclair, from Leiston, is one of the many property owners trying to make the most of the influx of workers.

The 43-year-old, who owns and rents out properties, has just purchased an empty three-bedroom semi-detached house in the town for £235,000.

Providing his applications for £38,000 of grants are approved, he plans to convert it into a four-bedroom home for Sizewell workers.

He then hopes to charge as much as £3,500-a-month for the rental of the entire home and bills – whether there is one worker living in it, or four.

"I live in Leiston and everything's sort of been chucked at us with Sizewell C and it's just a nightmare, this place," he said.

"So, I just think I might as well capitalise on it and make the most of it, rather than dwell on it. The grants are there, so it just seems silly not to do it."

Last year residents told the BBC they feared being priced out of Leiston after the rent on some homes doubled to month than £3,000 a month.

Some people in the town claimed landlords were "cashing in" on the increased demand for accommodation.

Sizewell C told the BBC it was working "really closely" with local authorities to ensure "local people can benefit" from the scheme and "do not lose out".

"This [fund] has been really successful in the local area so far," a spokesperson said.

"Renting out a spare room, for example, not only provides potential economic benefits for people locally but can also reduce social isolation for those currently living alone.

"For workers who come from other regions, we have a really clear and balanced accommodation strategy which will minimise the impact on the local area."

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