Home insulation grants: who qualifies and what ECO4 pays for
A home insulation grant can pay for some or all of your loft, cavity wall or solid wall insulation if someone in your household gets a means-tested benefit, or your council confirms a low income. The main route is ECO4, funded by large energy suppliers under rules set by government, and it runs until 31 December 2026.
Your home also needs an EPC rating of D to G. Fill in the form to check whether you qualify.
Apply Free Boiler is run by Reliant Energy Solutions Ltd, an ECO4 installer. We are not the government, Ofgem or an energy supplier. Last reviewed 6 October 2026.
Check if your home qualifies
Free to check. If the work is part-funded, any contribution is confirmed in writing before work starts.
Step 1 of 5
Types of home insulation a grant can cover
A surveyor decides which measures suit your home, and most start with the loft and the walls. ECO4 can also fund underfloor and room-in-roof insulation where the survey says they fit.
Loft insulation
Heat rises, so a bare or thinly insulated loft is usually the first thing a surveyor looks at. Rolls of mineral wool go between the ceiling joists and then across them. If you already have some insulation, the installer can top it up instead of starting again.
Loft insulation grant: who qualifies and what gets fittedCavity wall insulation
Many homes built after about 1920 have outer walls made of two layers with a gap between them. The installer drills small holes in the outside wall, blows insulation into the gap and fills the holes to match the brickwork. Some walls are not suitable, for example where there is damp, so the surveyor checks first.
Cavity wall insulation grantExternal wall insulation
Older homes with solid walls have no gap to fill. External wall insulation fixes insulation boards to the outside of the house and finishes them with render or cladding. The house looks different afterwards, so speak to your council first if you live in a conservation area or a listed building.
External wall insulation grant for solid-wall homesInternal wall insulation
The other way to insulate solid walls. Boards go on the inside of the outer walls, so the front of the house stays the same. Each room loses a little floor space, and radiators, sockets and skirting boards have to come off and go back on.
Internal wall insulation grants under ECO4Is there a government insulation scheme?
Not one the government pays for directly. The two schemes people usually mean are ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme. Both made energy suppliers pay for upgrades under rules set by government, and Ofgem runs them. Only ECO4 is still open.
| ECO4 | Great British Insulation Scheme | |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays | Large energy suppliers | Medium and large energy suppliers |
| Who qualifies | Households on a means-tested benefit, or on a low income confirmed by the council through LA Flex. Owner-occupied homes rated EPC D to G, privately rented homes E to G. | Homes rated EPC D to G in council tax bands A to D in England or A to E in Scotland and Wales, plus low-income and vulnerable households. |
| What it funds | Whole-house upgrades: insulation, often with heating work such as a boiler, heat pump or controls. | Mostly one insulation measure, such as loft or cavity wall. |
| Status | Open until 31 December 2026 | Ended 31 March 2026, closed to new installations |
ECO4 was due to end in March 2026. The government extended it to 31 December 2026 to give suppliers time to meet their targets and put right poor installations. It has also said there will be no new supplier scheme after ECO4, and plans £1.5bn of extra grant funding for low-income households under the Warm Homes Plan. Read what the ECO4 deadline means for applicants.
The Great British Insulation Scheme ran from April 2023 to 31 March 2026. A leaflet or website still offering it is out of date. Our Great British Insulation Scheme guide explains how it worked and where to look now.
Warm Homes: Local Grant in England
This is a separate grant, funded by government and run by local councils in England. It is usually for households with an income of £36,000 a year or less, on certain benefits or in certain postcodes, living in a home rated EPC D to G. It can pay for wall, loft and underfloor insulation, heat pumps, smart controls and solar panels. You apply on GOV.UK and your council arranges the survey and installer. See how it compares in Warm Homes: Local Grant vs ECO4.
How to check if your home qualifies for ECO4
- Find your EPC rating. Owner-occupied homes need D, E, F or G. Privately rented homes need E, F or G. Our EPC rating guide shows how to look yours up.
- Check the household route. Someone in the home gets a means-tested benefit such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit. If not, your council may confirm you through LA Flex with a household income under £31,000, or a health condition made worse by a cold home, plus its own criteria.
- Check where you live. ECO4 covers England, Scotland and Wales. Private tenants need the landlord to agree, as our guide to landlord permission for ECO4 explains.
The same check covers heating. See the ECO4 scheme page for the full rules, or the free boiler grant if your boiler is old or broken.
Check your home nowBefore you agree to insulation work
- A cold call or doorstep visit saying your street has been chosen for free insulation.
- A request for an upfront admin fee to secure a grant. If you have to pay anything towards the work, you should get the amount in writing before work starts.
- Pressure to sign before anyone has surveyed the house.
- No clear answer when you ask who is funding the work: which energy supplier, or which council.
Read how to check an ECO4 installer's TrustMark and Gas Safe registration. If you pay for insulation yourself, installing it in a home in Great Britain is zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027, so query a quote that adds 20%.
Home insulation grant questions
Can I get a home insulation grant without benefits?
Possibly. Through LA Flex, your council can declare you eligible for ECO4 if your household income is under £31,000 or someone has a health condition made worse by a cold home, plus the council's own criteria. In England, the Warm Homes: Local Grant is another route through your council.
Is insulation free under ECO4?
It can be fully funded, but that is not guaranteed. Some jobs are part-funded, and any contribution should be confirmed in writing before work starts. The survey decides which measures your home needs.
Can private tenants get an insulation grant?
Yes, if the household qualifies and the landlord agrees to the work. Under ECO4 a privately rented home usually needs an EPC rating of E, F or G.
Are there insulation grants in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
ECO4 covers England, Scotland and Wales until 31 December 2026. It does not cover Northern Ireland. The Warm Homes: Local Grant is for England only, and Home Energy Scotland lists other funding in Scotland.