UK energy grants & schemes: what you can actually get
There's real money available — thousands of pounds — to help you insulate your home, install a heat pump, or add solar panels. Here's every scheme in plain English.
At a glance
£7,500 off a heat pump — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (any homeowner)
Up to £30,000 free — Warm Homes Plan (lower income households)
Free insulation — Great British Insulation Scheme (lower Council Tax bands)
Free upgrades via your supplier — ECO4 (ending December 2026)
Get paid for solar exports — Smart Export Guarantee (ongoing)
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
The big one. £7,500 off a heat pump, available to any homeowner. No means test.
Who qualifies
- Any homeowner in England or Wales — no income requirements, no means test
- Your property must have a valid EPC (any rating)
- You must use an MCS-certified installer (they handle the application)
- The property must not already have a heat pump funded by BUS
What you get
- £7,500 grant for air-to-water or ground source heat pumps (£2,500 for air-to-air)
- One grant per property (not both — you pick one type of heat pump)
- The grant is deducted directly from the installer's invoice — you never pay the full price
- A typical air source heat pump costs £8,000–£15,000, so after the grant you might pay £500–£7,500
How to apply
- You don't apply directly. Find an MCS-certified installer and get a quote
- The installer applies to Ofgem on your behalf as part of the process
- You'll get a confirmation email from Ofgem and need to approve the application
- The grant is paid to the installer — your invoice already has the discount applied
Funded through March 2028. So far, 88,650+ homes have claimed it and ~£665 million has been paid out. It's real and it works.
Warm Homes Plan
Launched January 2026. Up to £30,000 of free upgrades for lower-income households. This is the government's flagship programme.
Who qualifies
- Households with a combined income under £36,000
- Or anyone receiving qualifying benefits (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit, and others)
- Homeowners and some private tenants
- Priority given to the least energy-efficient homes
What you get
- Up to £30,000 of home energy upgrades — completely free
- Covers insulation (cavity wall, loft, solid wall), solar panels, and heat pumps
- Zero-interest loans for solar panel installation coming later in 2026
- Part of a £15 billion, five-year programme
How to apply
- Apply through the government's Simple Energy Advice service or your local authority
- An assessor will visit your home to determine what upgrades are suitable
- Approved upgrades are installed at no cost to you
- The scheme is still rolling out — availability may vary by area in early 2026
Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
Free or heavily subsidised insulation, targeted at homes that need it most.
Who qualifies
- Homes in Council Tax bands A to D in the most deprived areas of England and Wales
- Or anyone on qualifying benefits (regardless of where you live or your Council Tax band)
- Both homeowners and renters can benefit (landlord permission needed for renters)
What you get
- Free or heavily subsidised insulation — cavity wall, loft, flat roof, solid wall, or underfloor
- The type of insulation depends on what your home needs and what's technically feasible
- Solid wall insulation (the most expensive type) can be worth £10,000+ when done for free
How to apply
- Contact your energy supplier — they're required to deliver these upgrades
- You can also go through Simple Energy Advice or local authority schemes
- An assessor will check what insulation is suitable for your home
- If eligible, the work is arranged and installed at no (or very low) cost
ECO4
The existing supplier-funded scheme. Runs alongside the Warm Homes Plan until the end of 2026.
Who qualifies
- Low-income and vulnerable households
- People on qualifying benefits (similar list to Warm Homes Plan)
- Focus on the least energy-efficient homes (EPC D, E, F, or G)
What you get
- Free insulation, heating upgrades, and in some cases solar panels
- Delivered through your energy supplier — they fund and arrange the work
- Can include first-time central heating for homes that don't have it
How to apply
- Contact your energy supplier directly and ask about ECO4
- You can also check eligibility through Simple Energy Advice
- Your supplier will arrange an assessment and installation
ECO4 runs until December 2026. If you think you qualify, apply now — funding is allocated on a first-come basis.
Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
Not a grant — this is ongoing income. If you have solar panels, your energy supplier pays you for electricity you export to the grid.
Who qualifies
- Anyone with an MCS-certified solar panel installation (up to 5MW)
- You need a smart meter or an export meter
- Available to homeowners and some tenants with landlord agreement
What you get
- Payment for every kWh of electricity you export to the grid
- Rates vary between suppliers: typically 3p–15p per kWh
- On a typical 4kW system, you might export 2,000–3,000 kWh per year
- At 10p/kWh, that's £200–£300 per year — on top of savings on your own bills
How to apply
- Once your solar is installed by an MCS-certified installer, you're eligible
- Shop around — different suppliers offer different rates
- Sign up with your chosen supplier. Octopus, EDF, British Gas, and others all offer SEG tariffs
- Some suppliers offer "agile" export tariffs where rates vary by time of day — worth comparing
The SEG is mandatory for any energy supplier with 150,000+ customers. They must offer you a tariff — but the rate varies, so compare.
Can you combine these?
Yes, often. For example:
- Get free insulation through GBIS, then use the BUS grant to install a heat pump
- Install solar panels (via Warm Homes Plan if eligible, or privately) and earn through the SEG
- If you're on a low income, the Warm Homes Plan can potentially cover insulation, solar, and a heat pump in one go
The general rule: insulate first, then upgrade your heating, then add solar. Each step makes the next one work better and cost less to run.
See what's available for your home
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