Up-to-date information on UK energy efficiency grants and funding in 2026. ECO4, Boiler Upgrade Scheme, Great British Insulation Scheme, and local council grants.
183 articles
One in five households that received an ECO grant in 2021 are now eligible for a second measure under the 2026 scheme rules If you had an energy-efficiency grant installed a few years ago, you might wonder whether you can get help with another measure now. The answer is yes, but only under specific conditions. […]
The first question most homeowners ask when they apply for a government grant is what happens next. You have submitted the application, and now someone needs to visit your home. That visit is called a grant home survey, and it is a mandatory step before any installation work can begin. The average grant home survey […]
The short answer on whether you can combine energy grants in 2026 Most government energy grants in England, Scotland, and Wales cannot be stacked for the same measure, such as using two grants to pay for one boiler. However, you can often apply for separate grants covering different measures, for example insulation under the Great […]
The Warm Homes Plan will offer grants of up to £15,000 for heat pumps and insulation The UK Government’s Warm Homes Plan (WHP) is a 10-year policy framework running to 2035, first detailed in a DESNZ policy paper published in October 2023 and updated in DESNZ’s 2025 Heat and Buildings Strategy refresh. For ordinary homeowners, […]
Park homes are eligible for the Great British Insulation Scheme in 2026 The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) covers park homes, provided they meet the scheme’s income or council tax band criteria. This means if your park home is in a lower council tax band (A–D) or you receive certain benefits, you can apply for […]
Working households can access the same energy bill support as everyone else, but the main difference is that income-based grants are often smaller or unavailable for higher earners The question of whether you can get help with energy bills if you work is one of the most common in 2026. The direct answer is yes, […]
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has a fixed annual budget, and applications are processed in order of receipt The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is not an open-ended entitlement; it operates with a finite annual budget set by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Applications from MCS-certified installers are processed sequentially. Once the annual […]
Over 1.4 million pensioner households are eligible for free energy upgrades under current government schemes If you are a pensioner on a low income, the question of whether you can get free home upgrades is a pressing one. Ofgem data from January 2026 shows that 1.4 million pensioner households meet the income thresholds for fully […]
The cost of insulating a rental property can be £3,000–£8,000 less than the cost of leaving it uninsulated and failing the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). Every private landlord in England and Wales must ensure their rental property meets a minimum EPC rating of E under current MEES regulations. From 2028, that minimum rises to […]
The short answer is no — most UK energy grants are not repayable If you are considering applying for a government energy grant, you may be concerned about having to pay the money back later. The vast majority of UK energy grants for homeowners are outright, non-repayable awards. The Department for Energy Security and Net […]
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant typically takes 4 to 6 weeks from application to payment, though the installation itself must be completed befor
Free under ECO4 if you qualify, £150-£250 DIY or £400-£700 installer. Saves £270 a year for a detached home. Payback under three years.
ECO4 closes on 31 December 2026. Free retrofit funding for low-income households. Who qualifies and how to apply before the deadline.
0% VAT on heat pumps, solar and insulation ends 31 March 2027. On a £14,000 install that is £2,800 in real money. Lead times matter.
The £15bn Warm Homes Plan offers low-interest loans for solar, heat pumps and insulation. Here is what is confirmed and what to do now.
From July 2026 the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant rises to £9,000 — but only for off-gas-grid homes. Here is who qualifies and what to do.
The ECO4 scheme covers energy-efficiency improvements for low-income and vulnerable households, including insulation, heating upgrades, and renewable technologies, funded by obligated energy suppliers (GOV.UK, 2026). Key Takeaways 1ECO4 funds insulation, heating upgrades, and renewables until March 2026. 2Cavity wall insulation can save £285 per year per Energy Saving Trust. 3Eligibility requires EPC rating D-G and […]
The OZEV electric vehicle (EV) home charge grant was replaced by the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) in 2022, and as of 2026, the EVHS is closed to new applications for homeowners, with only limited support remaining for flat owners and rental tenants (GOV.UK, 2026). Key Takeaways 1OZEV grant ended for homeowners in April 2022. […]
The most significant difference is that ECO4 is a government-mandated scheme delivered by energy suppliers, while council insulation schemes are locally administered programmes often funded separately through the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG). ECO4 targets low-income and fuel-poor households in specific council tax bands, whereas council schemes can cover a broader range of homes, including those […]
The UK government does not offer a single nationwide grant specifically for listed building retrofits, but multiple funding streams are available through local authorities and heritage bodies. The most relevant source is the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme, which can cover insulation and heating upgrades for listed buildings if the owner meets eligibility criteria, though […]
The main grant for off-grid UK homes is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which offers £7,500 for an air source heat pump or £7,500 for a ground source heat pump, and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme, which can fund insulation and heating upgrades for eligible low-income households not connected to the gas grid (GOV.UK, […]
No, the requirement for landlords to fit EPC band C by 2028 in England and Wales has been scrapped by the UK government. The planned Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) upgrade from EPC E to EPC C was cancelled in September 2023 (GOV.UK, 2026). Landlords currently only need an EPC rating of E or above […]
The short answer is yes, but only with your landlord’s written permission. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme allows private renters to apply for energy-efficiency improvements, but the property owner must consent to the work. Ofgem states that ECO4 targets households in fuel poverty or on low incomes, including private tenants, provided the landlord agrees […]
The current Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) rates in the UK for 2026 vary by supplier, but typical payments range from 3p to 15p per kilowatt-hour (kWh) exported, with the median rate around 5.5p/kWh, according to Ofgem’s latest SEG report (Ofgem, 2026). Key Takeaways 1Median SEG rate in 2026 is 5.5p/kWh according to Ofgem. 2Octopus Energy […]
The main grants available in 2026 are the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (7,500 pounds for heat pumps), the Great British Insulation Scheme (free or subsidised insulation), ECO4 (energy efficiency measures for low-income homes), and the Home Upgrade Grant (for off-gas-grid properties). Eligibility varies by income, benefits, property type, and location.
Contact an MCS-certified heat pump installer who will apply on your behalf. You need a valid EPC for your property, and the installation must replace an existing fossil fuel heating system. The 7,500 pound voucher is deducted from the installer quote. The scheme is available in England and Wales.
Yes. The ECO4 scheme and Great British Insulation Scheme can provide free cavity wall and loft insulation if you receive qualifying benefits or live in a property in council tax bands A to D. Contact your local council or an ECO installer to check eligibility.
Your EPC rating directly affects your home’s value and energy bills The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates a home from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). A one-band improvement from D to C can increase a property’s value by an average of 1 to 3 percent, according to Nationwide Building Society research (Nationwide Building […]
What a green mortgage is and how it works for homeowners A green mortgage is a home loan that offers a lower interest rate or cashback when you buy or remortgage a property with a high Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating. Both Halifax and Nationwide require the property to have an EPC rating of A […]
The Firman ECO4990ES portable generator typically costs between £1,800 and £2,500, though prices vary by retailer and specification. This estimate is based on UK market listings for comparable inverter generators, as the model is not currently listed on the Energy Saving Trust’s product database (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). Exact pricing depends on where you buy […]
The Scottish Government’s 2026-27 budget allocates around £41 billion in block grant funding from the UK Government, which represents roughly 60% of Scotland’s total public spending (UK Government, 2026). This funding underpins devolved services such as health, education and housing. Key Takeaways Scotland gets £41.3 billion block grant for 2026-27. The Barnett formula links Scotland's […]
Homeowners in England and Wales with an income under £31,000 are eligible for the full £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant in 2026, provided they replace a fossil-fuel heating system with an air source or ground source heat pump (GOV.UK, 2026). The grant amount increased from £5,000 to £7,500 in October 2023 and remains at that […]
The single most important fact about applying for insulation grants in Ireland The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers all national home energy grants, including attic, cavity wall, and external wall insulation. Grants are not automatic; you must follow a specific process that begins with a home energy assessment, not with the grant application […]
