Last reviewed: 28 July 2026 | By Evolving Home editorial team
UK Home Energy Grants 2026: BUS, ECO4, GBIS and Local Help
UK homeowners may qualify for grants or partial funding towards insulation, heat pumps, and other upgrades — but eligibility rules, installer requirements, and scheme availability change. Verify against GOV.UK and your local authority before assuming any measure is fully funded.
Evidence and editorial review
What this guidance can—and cannot—tell you
By Evolving Home editorial team
Last reviewed 16 July 2026
Claim status
Scheme-status guide, source-checked against live government and administrator pages. BUS standard heat-pump amount is £7,500 (illustrative; eligibility not assessed). It is not an eligibility decision or a quote.
Limitations
- National, devolved and local schemes have different geographies, budgets and evidence rules.
- Illustrative pre-grant costs are editorial planning ranges and can differ materially from quotes.
What to verify
- Nation, postcode, household, tenure and EPC eligibility on the official route.
- Whether approval is required before work starts and which installer standard applies.
- The written customer contribution and scope before signing a contract.
See the scoring methodology and evidence hierarchy before treating an indicative result as a decision input.
Check before you assume "free"
Some schemes fully fund work for eligible households; others contribute a fixed grant (for example BUS towards heat pumps) and you pay the remainder. Income, tenure, EPC rating, and property type all affect outcomes — always confirm in writing with the scheme administrator and the installer standard required for that route. BUS installers are MCS certified.
Major Energy Grant Schemes for 2026
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
Installer-led scheme in England and Wales. Standard air-to-water, ground-source and water-source categories are £7,500; residential air-to-air is £2,500; rural off-gas biomass is £5,000. Eligible off-gas oil/LPG properties may receive £9,000 for air-to-water or ground-source heat pumps (time-limited; confirm on GOV.UK).
ECO4 (energy company obligation)
Great Britain supplier obligation (England, Scotland, Wales). May fund insulation or heating upgrades for some income-qualifying / vulnerable households. Not automatic; amount is not fixed at a single national figure here.
Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) — ended
Historical scheme that funded loft and cavity insulation for some homes. Installations ended 31 March 2026; GOV.UK referral service closed. Do not plan current work as free via GBIS.
Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) — closed
HUG / HUG2 schemes are closed. Do not plan current work as funded via HUG. See Warm Homes: Local Grant for successor pathways where available.
Warm Homes: Local Grant
Live GOV.UK application route for eligible low-income households in privately owned EPC D–G homes in England. The local council surveys the home and chooses agreed measures if funding is available.
Other local authority programmes
Additional funding may exist from some councils — amounts not fixed nationally
Eligibility Criteria
Most energy grants have similar eligibility requirements. You may qualify if you meet one or more of these criteria:
How to Apply for Energy Grants
Step 1: Gather property context
Start with your EPC facts and an indicative Health Score for fabric and systems context. Evolving Home does not determine grant eligibility — verify any scheme rules on GOV.UK, with scheme administrators, or MCS/TrustMark installers before planning finances.
Step 2: Get a Quote
Contact approved installers who can assess your property and provide grant-funded quotes. Check the installer standard for the route. BUS uses MCS-certified installers; some fabric schemes use TrustMark-registered businesses. Verify the business on the relevant register rather than relying on a logo in a quote.
Step 3: Submit Application
Most schemes require installer-led applications. Your chosen contractor will handle the paperwork and ensure compliance with grant requirements.
Step 4: Installation and Payment
For schemes that pay the installer after approval, your out-of-pocket cost depends on the specific scheme and quote. Do not assume £0 or a fixed net cost until eligibility and price are confirmed in writing.
Popular improvements (pre-grant costs + funding routes to check)
Figures below are indicative install costs before any grant. Funding routes are conditional — eligibility is not assessed on this page. Net cost requires a verified quote after eligibility is confirmed externally.
| Improvement | Indicative cost (pre-grant) | Funding route to check | Your cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loft Insulation | ~£300–£600 | ECO4 may help if eligible; GBIS ended 31 Mar 2026 | Quote required after verified eligibility |
| Cavity Wall Insulation | ~£500–£1,000 | ECO4 may help if eligible; GBIS ended 31 Mar 2026 | Quote required after verified eligibility |
| Air Source Heat Pump | Whole-system, pre-grant quote required | BUS (E&W): air-to-water £7,500 if eligible; air-to-air £2,500; biomass £5,000 (rural off-gas). Eligible off-gas oil/LPG properties may receive £9,000 for air-to-water or ground-source heat pumps (time-limited; confirm on GOV.UK). Installer voucher; not auto-applied. | Full install cost until eligibility + quote confirmed |
| Solar PV Panels | ~£5,000–£8,000 | No automatic grant assumed; SEG/export is tariff income, not a grant | Quote required — pre-grant cost applies by default |
| Double Glazing | ~£3,000–£7,000 | Usually no national grant; local programmes only if separately verified | Quote required — pre-grant cost applies by default |
Common Grant Mistakes to Avoid
- Not checking eligibility first: Apply for grants you don't qualify for
- Using the wrong installer route: BUS uses an MCS-certified installer; other schemes set their own requirements
- Rushing installations: Ensure proper surveys and quotes before committing
- Missing deadlines: Some grants have limited funding and close early
- Assuming schemes can be combined: Confirm subsidy, duplication and contribution rules in writing
Local Authority Grants
In England, the live GOV.UK Warm Homes: Local Grant checker covers privately owned EPC D–G homes where household and area criteria are met. A council survey and available local funding are still required. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use different support routes; follow the nation links from GOV.UK rather than assuming an English scheme applies across the UK.
Near-term scheme status (as of mid-2026)
Treat national schemes as time-bounded and eligibility-limited. Confirm current terms on GOV.UK before planning finances. Scheme status last checked 28 July 2026:
- ECO4 orderly close: Government has set an ECO4 end-date path toward 31 December 2026 for an orderly close of the obligation period. This is not an expansion of eligibility or a new national “more households get free insulation” promise — remaining delivery serves existing targets and remediation. Verify status on GOV.UK.
- BUS:Live installer-voucher route in England & Wales. Standard air-to-water and ground-source categories are £7,500; residential air-to-air is £2,500; rural off-gas biomass is £5,000. Eligible off-gas oil/LPG properties may receive £9,000 for air-to-water or ground-source heat pumps (time-limited; confirm on GOV.UK). Eligibility is not automatic — confirm current funding on GOV.UK.
- GBIS: Installations ended 31 March 2026 — historical only.
- HUG / Domestic RHI: Home Upgrade Grant schemes are closed. Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) closed to new applicants on 31 March 2022. Not a current application route.
- Proposed EPC / sales rules: Policy timelines for mandatory improvements remain subject to final implementation — check official guidance, not social media.
Scheme status last checked 28 July 2026. Live routes: BUS (England & Wales); ECO4 (Great Britain, to end-2026); Warm Homes: Local Grant (England, where councils still open). All are geography- and eligibility-dependent. Evolving Home does not self-certify grant eligibility.
See Which Upgrades Fit Your Home First
Run an indicative Health Score to understand your property context, then cross-check grant routes on GOV.UK and with installers. We do not guarantee eligibility or funding outcomes.
Check Your Home ScoreFrequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay anything for grant-funded work?
Not always free. ECO4 may fully fund some measures for some eligible households (income, tenure, and property criteria apply), but many households receive partial support or none — verify with scheme administrators. For BUS, if you are eligible the voucher typically covers part of a heat-pump install; you still pay any remaining cost and related upgrades. We do not determine eligibility or final customer contribution here.
How long does the application process take?
There is no reliable cross-scheme approval time. GOV.UK says a council will usually contact a Warm Homes: Local Grant applicant within 10 working days for more information and a survey; that is not an installation or funding deadline. Ask the relevant administrator for the current evidence, approval and delivery timetable.
Can landlords claim energy grants?
Some routes include private rented homes, including BUS and Warm Homes: Local Grant, but property, household, landlord-contribution and consent rules differ. Scheme inclusion does not mean a particular landlord or property qualifies.
What if my property is leasehold?
Check the scheme's ownership rules, the lease, freeholder consent, planning and who owns communal fabric or heating before applying. Do not instruct external or communal work until the required permissions and funding approval are documented.
Related guides
Heat Pumps UK Guide
ASHP and GSHP design checks, BUS standard grant context (£7,500 illustrative; eligibility not assessed), and measured running-cost inputs.
Home Insulation Guide
Loft, cavity, solid-wall, and floor insulation compared.
Solar Panels UK
UK solar costs, export assumptions, and suitability checks.
Improve Your EPC Rating
Evidence-led upgrade sequencing, rating limits, and facts to verify before spending.