Insulation grants in England
Insulation grants in England now come from councils, through the Warm Homes: Local Grant, and from national schemes for heat pumps and loans. The energy supplier schemes have closed.
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This answer comes from the published scheme rules. It is not a final decision: the scheme or your council makes that. We are an independent guide, not part of any scheme.
- £16,600 + £16,600
- Council grant average per home for insulation, then heating
- £36,000
- The most a household can earn under the income test, one of three tests
- £7,500
- Off a heat pump, whatever you earn
Insulation grants in England, one scheme at a time
Open schemes come first. The two schemes paid for by energy companies, ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme, take no new homes.
| Scheme | Open now? | Who it is for | What it pays for | How much |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant for insulation and heatingWarm Homes: Local GrantApply on the official site | OpenApril 2025 to 31 March 2028 | People who own or privately rent a home that is costly to heat (rated D to G on its energy certificate, the EPC) and who earn under £36,000 as a household, get a benefit such as Universal Credit, or live in an area on the government's low-income list | Heat pumps, smart controls and solar panels, along with wall, loft and underfloor insulation | £16,600 + £16,600The average a council can spend per home on insulation, and the same again on new heating such as a heat pump. A survey decides what your home gets. Free if you qualify. |
| Grant for a heat pumpBoiler Upgrade SchemeApply on the official site | OpenFunded each year to 2029/30 | Homeowners and landlords replacing gas, oil, LPG (bottled gas) or electric heating with a heat pump, which warms the home using heat from the outside air or the ground | Air-to-air heat pumps, biomass boilers, and air source or ground source heat pumps | £7,500Off the price of a heat pump. A wood-burning boiler gets £5,000. A simpler heat pump that only warms the air gets £2,500. |
| Low-interest loanWarm Homes Loan SchemeOfficial page | Starting through lendersLenders from June 2026; first loans to households from September 2026 | Owner-occupiers and private landlords with no income test; the lender checks what you can afford | Batteries, solar panels and heat pumps come with cheaper loans (insulation paired with a heat pump is not included) | Up to £35,000A cheaper loan, with limits of £15,000 for solar or a battery, £20,000 for air source heat pumps and £35,000 for ground source ones |
| Fund for social landlordsWarm Homes: Social Housing Fund | Closed to bids, work under wayWave 3 bids closed 25 November 2024; work runs to September 2028 | Homes owned by councils and housing associations; tenants do not apply, the landlord bids instead | Insulation, heating and solar for social homes below EPC band C | £1.29 billionThe total national fund for Wave 3, shared between councils and housing associations. There is no amount per home and tenants can't apply. |
| Supplier scheme, closedECO4 (Energy Company Obligation) | Closed to new homesEnds 31 December 2026, finishing existing work onlyReplaced by the Warm Homes: Local Grant | It used to serve homes on benefits or a low income; the only work left is what was already agreed | Insulation and heating, which energy suppliers used to pay for | No new funding |
| Supplier scheme, closedGreat British Insulation Scheme | ClosedApril 2023 to 31 March 2026Replaced by the Warm Homes: Local Grant | It served homes rated EPC D to G in lower council tax bands, plus low-income households | One insulation measure per home, which energy suppliers used to pay for | No new funding |
Often asked about, though not insulation grants: the Warm Home Discount, £150 off the electricity bill, and the Smart Export Guarantee, money for solar power sent to the grid.
If you own the place you live in
If your income is lower, Warm Homes: Local Grant is the scheme to apply for. Qualify, and you pay nothing. Insulation, a heat pump and solar panels can all be covered.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme sets no income test: it takes £7,500 off a heat pump that replaces fossil fuel or electric heating. Earn above the income line and live outside a listed postcode? Then loft or cavity work on its own gets no grant. Still, such work pays back quickly: our loft and cavity wall guides have details.
Renting from a private landlord
Once a landlord agrees, tenants may apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant and never pay. Full funding covers a landlord's first home; each further home costs the landlord half.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme also works for landlords on a home they rent out.
How to get an insulation grant in England
- Check your postcode with the checker at the top of this page. It tells you if your area is on the low-income list.
- Apply to your council through the Warm Homes: Local Grant service on GOV.UK. Councils usually reply within 10 working days.
- Have the survey. If you qualify and there is money left, the council sends someone to look at the home and agree the work.
- The work is done by the council's installers, and owners and tenants who qualify pay nothing.
Only after a heat pump? An installer certified by MCS applies for the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for you and takes it off the bill.
What the Warm Homes Plan is changing
By 2030, £15 billion under the Warm Homes Plan is set to cover upgrades for up to 5 million homes. Plans exist to combine the council grant with the social housing fund from 2027/28, creating a single scheme for homes on low incomes. Lenders are starting to offer the Warm Homes Loan Scheme, which covers solar panels, batteries and heat pumps.
The grant tracker lists each change and where it came from.
Common questions about insulation grants in England
What is the main insulation grant in England?
The Warm Homes: Local Grant. Councils run it for owners and private tenants on a low income, a means-tested benefit or in a listed low-income postcode, in homes rated EPC D to G.
Can I get free insulation in England if I earn over £36,000?
Sometimes. A home in one of the listed low-income postcodes, or a household where someone gets a means-tested benefit, can still qualify.
Are there insulation grants in England for any income?
Not for insulation alone. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 off a heat pump for any income, and the Warm Homes Loan Scheme is starting for solar and heat pumps.
I rent from a housing association. What can I get?
Your landlord applies for funding, not you. Ask them whether your home is in a Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund project.
Get an installer survey quote
No grant fits, or want to compare prices? Accredited installers in England can survey the home and quote.
Homes owned by councils and housing associations
Upgrades to social homes come from the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, previously called the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Tenants don't apply; the landlords make the bids. Wave 3 handed out £1.29 billion; the work runs to September 2028, and bids shut on 25 November 2024.
Below EPC band C? Ask your landlord if your home is part of a project. GOV.UK has the details.