Home improvement grants for heating, insulation and green energy
Grants for energy improvements in Great Britain include ECO4, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the Warm Homes: Local Grant in England, Warmer Homes Scotland and Nest in Wales. For eligible households the main free route is ECO4, which energy suppliers fund under rules set by government until it ends on 31 December 2026.
Apply Free Boiler is run by Reliant Energy Solutions Ltd, an ECO4 installer. We are not the government, Ofgem or an energy supplier. We check ECO4 eligibility, survey the home and install the work. For the other schemes on this page, apply through the official links.
Last checked against Ofgem, GOV.UK, mygov.scot and GOV.WALES on 6 October 2026.
Check if you qualify for ECO4
Free to check. There is no fee to apply.
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Home improvement grants by measure
Each guide covers one improvement, which scheme can pay for it and who qualifies. If you are not sure where to start, the free boiler scheme guide explains how ECO4 pays for a new boiler or heating.
Heating grants
- Free boiler grant
ECO4 can repair or replace an old, broken or inefficient boiler for eligible households. See who qualifies and how it differs from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
- Condensing boiler installation grant
How ECO4 can replace an older non-condensing boiler with a condensing model, and how to tell which type you have.
- Back boiler replacement grant
Whether back boilers are legal, how to stay safe with one, and how ECO4 can fund a replacement.
- First-time central heating grant
For homes that have never had central heating. Covers who qualifies under ECO4 and which systems can be fitted.
- Storage heater replacement grant
ECO4 can replace old electric storage heaters with high heat retention models in eligible homes.
- Air source heat pump grant
The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant compared with heat pumps funded through ECO4, and when each one applies.
Insulation grants
- Home insulation grants
The loft, wall and floor insulation ECO4 can fund, and who qualifies before the scheme ends.
- Loft insulation grant
Which schemes still fund loft insulation now that the Great British Insulation Scheme has closed.
- Cavity wall insulation grant
Free cavity wall insulation through ECO4 or, in England, the Warm Homes: Local Grant.
- External wall insulation grant
For solid-walled homes. Which schemes can still fund it, who qualifies, typical costs and planning rules.
Green energy and heating controls
- Solar panel grants
When solar panels can be part of a funded ECO4 or Warm Homes: Local Grant package. A survey decides what is fitted.
- Smart heating controls grant
Smart thermostats and heating controls that ECO4 or the Warm Homes: Local Grant can fund, and who qualifies.
Landlords
- Energy grants for landlords
What can be funded in a privately rented home, and why rented homes usually cannot get a boiler-only replacement under ECO4.
Energy grant schemes compared
Each scheme has its own rules, area and way to apply. Apply Free Boiler handles ECO4 only. We do not arrange the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the Warm Homes: Local Grant, Warmer Homes Scotland or Nest, so use the official link to apply for those.
ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation)
England, Scotland and Wales · Open until 31 December 2026
- What it pays for
- Insulation, boiler repair or replacement, first-time central heating and other heating upgrades. A survey decides which measures suit the home.
- Who can get it
- Households on a means-tested benefit, or referred by their council under LA Flex (for example household income under £31,000, or a health condition made worse by a cold home). Homes are generally EPC band D to G.
- How to apply
- Through an energy supplier, your council or an ECO4 installer. Apply Free Boiler is run by an ECO4 installer, so you can check with us using the form above.
Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
England, Scotland and Wales · Closed. Ofgem says it ended on 31 March 2026
- What it pays for
- Mostly single insulation measures, such as loft or cavity wall insulation.
- Who can get it
- It covered homes rated EPC D to G in lower council tax bands, plus low-income households. No new installations are being made.
- How to apply
- No longer possible. For insulation now, look at ECO4 or, in England, the Warm Homes: Local Grant.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
England and Wales · Open
- What it pays for
- £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump, £5,000 towards a biomass boiler, or £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump.
- Who can get it
- Owners replacing fossil fuel heating such as oil, gas, electric or LPG. Most new builds and social housing are not eligible.
- How to apply
- Your heat pump or biomass installer applies for the grant for you.
Warm Homes: Local Grant
England · Open, run by local councils
- What it pays for
- Wall, loft and underfloor insulation, air source heat pumps, smart controls and solar panels.
- Who can get it
- Privately owned homes, whether you own it or rent from a private landlord, rated EPC D to G. Household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less. Some postcodes and benefits also qualify.
- How to apply
- Apply on GOV.UK. Your council then organises and pays for the work.
Warmer Homes Scotland
Scotland · Open, funded by the Scottish Government
- What it pays for
- Wall and loft insulation, draught-proofing, central heating including gas boilers or air source heat pumps, and renewables.
- Who can get it
- Homeowners and private tenants who have lived in the home for at least six months, where someone gets certain benefits, is over 75 without working central heating, or is terminally ill. The home must have a poor energy rating and a floor area of 230m² or less.
- How to apply
- Contact Home Energy Scotland. It checks eligibility and refers you to Warmworks, which delivers the work.
Nest
Wales · Open, funded by the Welsh Government
- What it pays for
- Heat pumps, insulation and solar panels, plus boiler or storage heater repair or replacement if the home has no working heating or hot water.
- Who can get it
- Owners and private renters on a means-tested benefit or a low income. The home must be rated EPC 54 (E) or lower, or 68 (D) or lower if someone in the household has an eligible health condition.
- How to apply
- Check eligibility with Nest through GOV.WALES.
More on the ECO4 routes: how the ECO4 scheme works, the LA Flex council route and how to find your EPC rating.
What these grants do not cover
The schemes above pay for energy improvements. They do not pay for kitchens, bathrooms, extensions, replacement windows or roof repairs. GOV.UK lists insulation and heating work for ECO, and windows are not on the Warm Homes: Local Grant list either. Roof insulation is different and can be funded.
For essential repairs, ask your council. Citizens Advice says councils may offer a grant or loan to adapt, improve or repair a home. In Wales, councils offer an interest-free home improvement loan of up to £35,000 for work to make a home warm, safe and secure, with an administration fee of up to 15%.
Home improvement grant questions
Who qualifies for a home improvement grant?
For ECO4 you usually need a means-tested benefit such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit, or a council referral under LA Flex, and a home rated EPC D to G. The Warm Homes: Local Grant in England uses an income limit instead, usually £36,000 a year or less.
Check the full ECO4 eligibility rulesWhat heating grants are available?
ECO4 can repair or replace a boiler, fit first-time central heating or replace storage heaters for eligible households until 31 December 2026. In England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump for owners replacing fossil fuel heating.
How the ECO4 scheme worksAre there green energy grants for solar panels and heat pumps?
Yes. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme covers heat pumps and biomass boilers in England and Wales. Solar panels can be part of a funded package under ECO4, the Warm Homes: Local Grant or Nest, but a survey decides what is installed.
Solar panel grants explainedCan pensioners get a home improvement grant?
There is no separate grant for pensioners. Pension Credit is a qualifying benefit for ECO4, and in Scotland, Warmer Homes Scotland can help someone over 75 with no working central heating without a benefit.
Free boilers for pensionersDo I have to pay anything?
You should never pay a fee to apply. Under ECO4, Ofgem says you may be asked to contribute towards the work in some cases, so get any cost in writing before work starts.
ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026.
If you are on a qualifying benefit, such as Universal Credit, check now so there is time for a survey and install.
Check if you qualify