Full list of home improvement grants you can apply for worth up to £95k
HUNDREDS of thousands of households could enhance their home’s energy efficiency and save money through a variety of grants.
From insulation and boiler upgrades to modifications for disabled residents, financial assistance can cover a substantial portion of your home improvement costs.
Some grants may even cover up to £50,000 worth of home improvements.
However, the exact amount of support available to you will depend on your individual circumstances.
For instance, the level of support may vary if you receive benefits or live in a council house.
Fortunately, we have compiled a list of all available home improvement grants, so you don’t have to do the legwork.
Here is exactly what you can access.
Free insulation and boiler grants – up to £50,000
Low-income and vulnerable families can get help improving the energy-efficiency of their homes through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme.
Under the ECO scheme, suppliers have a legal obligation to implement energy-saving measures in your home if you’re experiencing fuel poverty.
Help is offered on a case-by-case basis, but it can mean having a new boiler fitted, or loft or cavity wall insulation put in, often for free.
The cost of buying a new boiler and install is around £3,000, while loft insulation costs around £725 to install and cavity wall insulation in a mid-terrace house will set you back £1,800, according to Checkatrade.
Measures can also include the installation of heat pumps, smart thermostats and even solar panels.
These government schemes target low-income, vulnerable, and fuel-poor homes and can significantly reduce heating bills by up to £485 annually.
The ECO first launched in January 2013 and has been extended four times.
ECO4 applies to any help issued between April 1, 2022, and covers a four-year period until March 31, 2026.
You only qualify for the ECO under certain circumstances, for example if you claim certain benefits and live in private housing.
Which suppliers are signed up to the scheme?
NOT all energy companies are signed up to the ECO scheme. Here is the list of ones that are:
- British Gas
- E (Gas and Electricity) LTd
- E.ON
- Ecotricity
- EDF
- Octopus Energy
- Outfox the Market
- OVO
- Scottish Power
- Shell Energy
- So Energy (including ESB Energy)
- The Utility Warehouse
- Utilita Energy
The list of benefits that could qualify you for the scheme is:
- Child tax credit
- Working tax credit
- Universal Credit
- Pension credit
- Income support
- income-based Jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)
- income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Child benefit
- Housing benefit
You could also be eligible if you living in social housing.
In addition to this, households also need to be living in properties with an energy efficiency rating of D-G if they own it, or E-G if they are renting from a private landlord.
To check you’re eligible and apply, you’ll need to contact your energy supplier.
Great British insulation scheme – £1,000s
You can get help insulating your home through the Government’s Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) if you’re not eligible under the ECO scheme.
GBIS is open to an extra 400,000 households in council tax bands A to E across England, Wales and Scotland who might not be claiming benefits.
To qualify, you must have an energy performance certificate rating of D or lower.
You could be in line for essential upgrades to your home, including roof, loft or cavity wall insulation – which could cut your annual energy bill by £100s.
Check whether you meet the eligibility criteria by visiting gov.uk/apply-great-british-insulation-scheme.
Boiler upgrade scheme – £7,500
Through the boiler upgrade scheme, you could get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler.
You can get one grant per property, towards help with the following:
- £7,500 towards an air source heat pump
- £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
- £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
To qualify for this scheme you must own the property you are looking to upgrade.
You must find an MCS-certified installer to claim the grant on your behalf.
MCS is the certification scheme for energy-efficiency product installers.
You can find the nearest ones to you by visiting www.mcscertified.com/find-an-installer, but it is worth shopping for a few quotes.
Home upgrade grant – £1,000s
The home upgrade grant provides funding for various energy efficiency measures for homes that are not connected to the gas grid, often in rural or semi-rural areas.
To be eligible, you must own and live in the property you’re applying for and not use a mains gas boiler as your home’s main heating system.
You’ll also need an performance certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G – if you do not know your home’s EPC you can find it out when you apply.
You’ll usually need to have a household income of £36,000 a year or less.
If you’re eligible, your local council will arrange a home survey to see how your home could be made more energy efficient.
They might suggest improvements like installing wall, loft and underfloor insulation, air source heat pumps, electric radiators
Find out more by visiting gov.uk/apply-home-upgrade-grant.
What energy bill help is available?
There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
Social housing decarbonisation fund – £1,000s
The government is pumping £3.8billion over the next decade to help councils improve energy efficacy in homes.
The last round of funding was rolled out in April 2024, but applications for this are now closed.
Under the scheme, council houses were retrofitted with wall and loft insulation, double glazing, heat pumps, and solar panels.
The fund will open again in April 2025 and provide £1.2billion to social homes.
If eligible, those living in social housing will not need to do anything, as their housing provider will contact them.
Other households will need to check what their local authority has on offer, and they may need to apply for help.
Local authorities will deliver the funding in different ways.
Therefore, you will need to check directly with your council.
Disabled facilities grant – up to £36,000
A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a local council grant that helps disabled people make their homes more accessible and easier to live in.
The grant can cover the cost of essential adaptations, such as:
- Installing ramps or steps
- Widening doors
- Installing a stair lift
- Adapting a bathroom or kitchen
- Improving or providing a suitable heating system
- Adapting heating or lighting controls
- Building an extension
- Getting assistive technology
To qualify for a DFG, you must:
- Be a disabled homeowner or private tenant
- Intend to occupy the property as your only or main residence throughout the grant period
- Receive income based benefits
The grant is means tested, so you may have to make a contribution towards the cost of the works.
To apply for a grant, speak to your local council.
You can find yours by visiting gov.uk/find-local-council.