Get help paying for energy efficiency home improvements

You might be able to apply for help with the cost of home improvements, such as insulation, a new boiler or a renewable heating system like a heat pump.

You might be able to apply to:

• the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme

• the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)

• the Home Upgrade Grant scheme -  if you don’t use mains gas to heat your home

• the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

• the Connected for Warmth insulation scheme

If you're not sure what home improvements will help save you money, check how to make your home more energy efficient.

If you rent your home

You might be able to apply to:

• the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme

• the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)

You should talk to your landlord before you apply. You’ll need permission from them if you want to make changes to your home. Your landlord might have to pay some of the cost of making the improvements.

If you can’t apply or your application is unsuccessful your landlord might be able to apply for help from other schemes. You could ask them to apply.

If you have a private landlord, they might be able to apply to:

• the Home Upgrade Grant scheme

• the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

• Connected for Warmth 

If you have a social landlord, for example a local council or housing association, they might have plans to apply to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

If your home isn’t warm enough

If you’re renting privately, your landlord has to make sure your home is ‘fit for human habitation’. This means it needs to be safe to live in and it isn’t likely to damage your health. Check the rules for when landlords have to carry out repairs if you rent privately.

If you have a social landlord, they have to make sure your home is reasonably warm. If it isn’t, they might have to carry out repairs or make improvements to your home. Check if your social landlord has to repair your home and what you can do if they don’t.

Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme

You might be able to get help with things like insulation, boilers and improving your heating. 

Some people can get help to apply through their local council. But there are situations where you have to apply through a gas or electricity supplier.

Eligibility and ways to apply to the ECO scheme

If own your own home or you rent from a private landlord, you might be eligible for the ECO scheme if:

• you get benefits that are based on your income

• you get Child Benefit

• you owe money to your supplier

• you are a prepayment customer and you run out of money

If you have a social landlord and you pay below ‘market rent’, there are different rules which mean you might be eligible for the ECO scheme. Market rent is the average cost of renting a home like yours in the area you live from a private landlord. Your landlord will be able to tell you if you pay below market rent.

If you have a social landlord and your rent is at or above market rent, the rules are the same as for private tenants. If your home is shared ownership, the rules are the same as for homeowners. 

There are different ways to apply to the ECO scheme - it depends on which conditions you meet.

If you own your own home or rent from a private landlord, there are some other situations when you might be able to apply through your local council. This is called ECO Flex.

For example, you might be able to apply if:

• you have a household income of less than £31,000

• you get Council Tax Reduction - because you have a low income

• your child gets free school meals - because you have a low income

• you have a severe or long-term health condition

Not all local councils offer funding in these situations. Contact your local council to see what they offer - ask if there’s ECO funding available in your area and how you can apply for it. Find your council’s details on GOV.UK.

If you’ve spoken to your council and are still not sure if you can apply in your situation, you can talk to an adviser.

Watch out for scams

You might see adverts or get cold calls from companies who say they offer ECO funding. It can be hard to tell if these companies are genuine, and they might set unrealistic expectations about the work, such as how long it might take or what additional work might be needed. It’s best to apply through your local council or energy supplier who will refer you to a genuine company.

You can check what to do if you think something might be a scam.

Check what happens after you apply to the ECO scheme

The council or energy supplier might ask you for evidence to show that you’re eligible - for example, a letter from the benefit office or some payslips. If you’re worried about sending over personal documents, ask to read their privacy policy saying how they’ll use your information. 

The council or energy supplier will arrange a survey on your home and, if your home is suitable, they will arrange for an installer to do the work. You can read our advice about the steps you should go through before you get building work done.

The ECO scheme should normally cover all the costs - but they might ask you or your landlord to pay something towards the work. This depends on the local council or supplier and what they fund. They should tell you how much you’ll have to pay before you agree to the work.

Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)

If you own your home or you rent privately, you might be able to get help insulating your home. If you can get help from GBIS, they’ll offer you insulation for one of the following:

• your walls

• your loft or roof

• your floors

GBIS won’t help you insulate more than one of these.

If you live in a mobile home on a park home site, you might get insulation for your whole home.

In some cases, you might get offered new heating controls - for example, thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) which automatically switch off the radiator when the room is warm enough.

New heating controls are fitted at the same time as the insulation.

Check if you can get help from GBIS

You can only get help from GBIS if both of the following apply:

• your home is in council tax band A, B, C or D - check your council tax band on GOV.UK.

• your home has an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G

Find your home's Energy Performance Certificate on GOV.UK.

If your home doesn’t have an EPC, you might still be able to apply. Your home must need insulation to improve its efficiency.

If you rent from a private landlord and your home’s EPC rating is F or G, there's an extra rule. You can only get help from GBIS if your landlord has registered the property as exempt from the ‘minimum standard’ of energy efficiency.

Check if your home is registered as exempt from the minimum standard on GOV.UK. If your home has an EPC rating of F or G and your landlord hasn’t registered it exempt from the minimum standard, talk to an adviser.

Applying for help from GBIS

You should contact your local council, - they might help you apply to GBIS. You can find your local council’s details on GOV.UK. 

If your local council can’t help, you should be able to apply through your energy supplier if they’re a part of GBIS. 

You can apply for support from the Great British Insulation Scheme on GOV.UK.

Check what happens after you apply to GBIS 

Your council or energy supplier will arrange a survey on your home. If your home is suitable, they’ll arrange for an installer to do the work. 

GBIS will usually cover the cost of the insulation. They might ask you to pay something towards it, if it's a more expensive type of insulation. This depends on your council or energy supplier and what they fund. They should tell you how much you’ll have to pay before you agree to the work.

You might have to get permission or approval before you go ahead with work on your home. Check if you need permission or approval before you get work done on your home.

Home Upgrade Grant

If you don’t use mains gas to heat your home, you might be able to get help with things like insulation and improving your heating.

You’re probably not using mains gas if you use other types of fuel to heat your home - for example electricity, oil, coal or wood.

You must own your own home to be able to apply. If you rent from a private landlord, your landlord might be able to apply instead. If you rent from a social landlord, you can’t apply to this scheme.

To apply to the Home Upgrade Grant scheme, one of the following must be true:

• your home has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G - find your home’s Energy Performance Certificate on GOV.UK

• your home doesn’t have an EPC but it needs energy efficiency improvements - for example, insulation or more efficient heating

In most cases your income before tax must also be under £31,000. This includes your partner's income if you live with them.

If your income is £31,000 or more, you might still be able to get a Home Upgrade Grant because of where you live. Talk to an adviser - they can help you check if you can get one.

Contact your local council to find out if the Home Upgrade Grant scheme is available in your area - you can find your local council on GOV.UK.

You might also be able to get help with your bills if you use alternative fuels to heat your home.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

You might be able to get a grant towards the cost of replacing your heating system with a heat pump or biomass boiler. 

Your current heating system must use oil, gas or electricity. If you already have a heat pump, you can’t use the grant to replace it.

You must own your own home to be able to apply. If you rent from a private landlord, your landlord might be able to apply instead. If you have a social landlord, you can’t apply to this scheme.

You, or your landlord if you rent privately, usually need to pay some of the costs.

Check if you can get help from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme on GOV.UK

Connected for Warmth insulation scheme

If your home is in council tax band A, B, C or D, you might be eligible for free loft or cavity wall insulation. 

If you own your home, you can apply for the Connected for Warmth scheme on their website.

If you rent from a private landlord, your landlord needs to apply on your behalf. If you rent from a social landlord, you can’t apply to this scheme.

Find other ways to save energy

There are other things you can do to use less energy at home and save money on your bills.

If you want to save energy and money using your heating, you can:

• check the best way to use your heating controls and find simple ways to keep heat in your home

• check how to use storage heaters efficiently

If you want to save energy and money using your appliances, you can:

• compare the cost of using your electrical appliances to help make decisions about how to use them

• check how to save money using your electrical appliances

• check how to choose and buy a more energy efficient appliance

If you need help with bills or the cost of living

If you can’t afford your energy bills, you can check our advice on what to do if you’re struggling to pay.

If you don’t have enough money to live on, you can also get help with the cost of living.