Energy Grants for UK Homes in 2026: What’s Available and How to Apply

What is available in 2026

The Warm Homes Local Grant: the main scheme now available

The Warm Homes Local Grant is the primary route to funded energy improvements for most eligible households in England right now. It is delivered through local councils rather than energy suppliers, which is why the postcode tool below is useful for reaching your council directly.

To qualify you need a household income of £36,000 or less, or to be receiving a means-tested benefit such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit. Your home also needs an EPC rating of D to G. Both homeowners and private tenants can apply, though tenants need their landlord to agree and participate. Eligible households can receive up to £30,000 in funded improvements covering insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, and other energy efficiency measures. You will not be asked to pay anything upfront.

The application process starts with the government’s eligibility checker, which passes your details to your local council if you qualify. Your council should contact you within ten working days to arrange the next steps. More than 97% of eligible councils in England have been allocated funding. Note that London has temporarily paused new applications while processing existing demand, with reopening expected in spring 2026. Outside London, applications are generally open.

Equivalent schemes with similar eligibility are available in Wales (Optimised Retrofit Programme), Scotland (Warmer Homes Scotland), and Northern Ireland (Affordable Warmth Scheme).

Check your eligibility and apply for the Warm Homes Local Grant on GOV.UK

ECO4: closing 31 December 2026 — and there will be no ECO5

ECO4 was the government’s Energy Company Obligation scheme, funded by large energy suppliers and aimed at low-income households in homes with an EPC rating of D to G. It runs until 31 December 2026, after which it will close permanently. The government has confirmed there will be no ECO5. From 2027, the Warm Homes Plan replaces the supplier obligation model with a new delivery framework — we will cover what that means for eligible households in full when it launches.

In practice, most ECO4 funding has already been allocated and new applications are very limited. The households most likely to still find available funding are those in properties with an EPC rating of F or G that are not connected to the gas grid. It is worth contacting your energy supplier directly to ask whether any allocation remains in your area, but the Warm Homes Local Grant above is the more realistic route for most households at this stage.

Find out more about ECO4 on GOV.UK

The Great British Insulation Scheme: now closed

The Great British Insulation Scheme closed to new applications on 31 January 2026. If you applied before that date and have not yet heard back, your application may still be in progress. New applications are no longer being accepted.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme: still active for heat pumps, extended to 2030

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) is available to any homeowner in England or Wales regardless of income. It has been extended to 2030 as part of the Warm Homes Plan, with a confirmed budget of £295 million for 2025/26. The grants currently available are:

• £7,500 toward an air source or ground source heat pump (air-to-water systems), replacing an existing fossil fuel heating system
• £2,500 toward an air-to-air heat pump — a new addition for 2026, covering systems that provide both heating and cooling
• £5,000 toward a biomass boiler — available to rural properties not connected to the gas grid only

One significant change for 2026: the previous requirement to clear all outstanding insulation recommendations on your EPC before qualifying has been removed. You still need a valid EPC, but you are no longer required to install cavity wall or loft insulation first in order to access the grant. This opens the scheme to a wider range of properties than before.

The process is installer-led. You find an MCS-certified installer, they confirm eligibility, apply for the voucher on your behalf, and deduct the grant amount from your invoice before you pay. You do not apply directly to Ofgem. Heat pumps work best in well-insulated homes, so addressing heat loss first tends to produce better outcomes regardless of the grant change. How heat loss through walls and fabric affects system efficiency is covered in why walls feel cold in winter.

Check eligibility for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme on GOV.UK  |  Find an MCS-certified installer

The Warm Homes Plan: what is coming from 2027

The government’s £15 billion Warm Homes Plan launched in January 2026 and runs to 2030, aiming to upgrade up to five million homes. The Warm Homes Local Grant is the element currently active. A low or zero-interest loan scheme for households who do not qualify for free upgrades is expected to launch in 2027, alongside the new delivery framework that replaces ECO4. If you are eligible for the grant now, applying now is better than waiting for elements of the plan that are not yet available. We will cover everything the Warm Homes Plan means for UK households in our full guide to the Warm Homes Plan.

Read the government’s Warm Homes Plan on GOV.UK

Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payments, and Winter Fuel Payment

The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate on electricity bills, applied automatically for most recipients on Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, with other qualifying benefit recipients also potentially eligible depending on their supplier. Cold Weather Payments of £25 are made automatically when temperatures in your area fall to or below zero Celsius for seven consecutive days, for households on qualifying benefits. Winter Fuel Payments changed in 2024 and are now limited to households receiving Pension Credit or certain means-tested benefits. If you are of pensionable age and not currently claiming Pension Credit, it is worth checking whether you are entitled to it, as many eligible households do not claim it.

Warm Home Discount on GOV.UK  | 
Cold Weather Payment on GOV.UK  | 
Check Pension Credit eligibility on GOV.UK

How to find the right page on your council’s website

Council websites are rarely organised around heating grants as a neat label. Once you have opened your council’s website using the tool above, the quickest approach is to use their own search box and try these terms: “warm homes”, “household support fund”, “cost of living”, “welfare assistance”, “energy advice”, “hardship fund”, and “help with heating costs”. If you are looking specifically for insulation or efficiency support, try “energy efficiency”, “retrofit”, and “ECO” as well. These pages tend to be less visible but are where insulation schemes and referral routes are usually listed.

If the council website keeps pointing you to partner organisations or an advice service rather than a direct application form, follow that route. Much of the support is delivered through referral partners rather than a council-run form. If a page looks out of date, check the latest news section or cost of living hub before assuming a scheme has ended. It is also normal for funding windows to open and close through the year, so a scheme that was unavailable in January may reopen in spring.

Who this page is for

This page is for households struggling with heating costs, renters unsure what help their landlord or council offers, homeowners in older or less efficient properties, people who have been advised to contact their council for energy support, and advisers or charities signposting residents to official sources. Eligibility across schemes is shaped by a combination of income, benefit receipt, tenancy type, and the energy performance rating of the home. Understanding where your home is losing heat before pursuing improvements can help you make the case for support and ensure any funded work targets the right areas. The guide to finding hidden draughts and the overview of why walls feel cold in winter are useful starting points.

Frequently asked questions

Is ECO4 still available in 2026?

Technically yes, but in practice most ECO4 funding has already been allocated. The scheme runs until 31 December 2026 and will then close permanently — there will be no ECO5. The households most likely to still find available ECO4 funding are those in F or G rated properties not connected to the gas grid. For most households, the Warm Homes Local Grant is now the more realistic route to funded improvements.

What is replacing ECO4?

There is no direct like-for-like replacement. From 2027, the Warm Homes Plan replaces the supplier obligation model that underpinned ECO4 with a new government-led delivery framework. It includes a £5 billion allocation for low-income household upgrades and a separate low-interest consumer loan scheme. Until 2027, the Warm Homes Local Grant is the primary funded route for eligible households.

Can I get a free heat pump in 2026?

Possibly, depending on your income and circumstances. Low-income households with an EPC rating of D to G may be eligible for a heat pump at no cost through the Warm Homes Local Grant, which covers up to £30,000 in improvements. Homeowners who do not qualify on income grounds can access the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which provides a £7,500 grant toward an air-to-water heat pump — this is not means-tested, so any homeowner in England or Wales replacing a fossil fuel system can apply regardless of income.

What is the Warm Homes Local Grant?

The Warm Homes Local Grant is the main government scheme currently offering free home energy improvements in England. It is available to households with an income under £36,000 or those receiving means-tested benefits, living in a home with an EPC rating of D to G. Eligible households can receive up to £30,000 in funded improvements including insulation, heat pumps, and solar panels, with no upfront cost. It is delivered through local councils rather than energy suppliers. You can apply via the government’s eligibility checker on GOV.UK.

Am I eligible for free insulation in 2026?

You may be, through the Warm Homes Local Grant. To qualify you need a household income under £36,000 (or to receive a qualifying means-tested benefit) and an EPC rating of D to G. Both homeowners and private tenants can apply, though tenants need their landlord’s agreement. The Great British Insulation Scheme, which offered a separate route to funded insulation, closed to new applications on 31 January 2026. ECO4 remains technically open but has very limited remaining funding. The Warm Homes Local Grant is now the most accessible route for most eligible households.

What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and how do I apply?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides upfront grants to homeowners in England or Wales toward the cost of installing a low-carbon heating system. In 2026 the available grants are £7,500 for an air-to-water heat pump, £2,500 for an air-to-air heat pump, and £5,000 for a biomass boiler (rural off-gas properties only). The scheme is not means-tested — any eligible homeowner can apply regardless of income. You do not apply directly: you find an MCS-certified installer, they apply for the grant voucher on your behalf, and the grant is deducted from your invoice before you pay. The scheme runs to 2030.

How this fits into WarmGuide

WarmGuide focuses on helping UK households understand why their homes feel cold and which fixes are worth addressing first. In many cases, practical steps like draught-proofing, radiator balancing, or targeted insulation can make a meaningful difference before major upgrades are needed, and improving the fabric of the home first tends to make any heating system upgrade work better. The complete guide to keeping a UK home warm for cheap puts grants and improvements into the broader context of running costs and heat retention.