There are currently two government lead schemes available to eligible households to help insulate your home for free and save you hundreds of pounds in energy bills every year. Read ahead to find out if you’re eligible for free home insulation.
If you live in a home with a low energy performance rating, you might be eligible through the Great British Insulation scheme or ECO4 scheme.
What free home insulation funding can you get?
For several years eligible homes have benefitted from free or subsidised energy efficient home improvements through the ECO4 scheme. The scheme was implemented to help low income and vulnerable households heat their homes.
In July 2023 the Government launched the Great British Insulation scheme which is available to a further 400,000 households, who were not previously eligible for the ECO4 scheme.
Under both the ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme, the big energy providers and local authorities are required to give away £1,000s of energy efficient home improvements to households across England, Scotland and Wales. The Great British Insulation Scheme offers free home insulation to households with low energy performance ratings in eligible households.
These free insulation measures can include:
- Pitched Roof Insulation
- Flat Roof Insulation
- Solid Floor Insulation
- Solid Wall insulation
- External Wall Insulation
The ECO4 scheme offers further assistance although the eligibility criteria is much stricter and is only available to those who receive certain benefits. If you are eligible for ECO4 you could benefit from the following additional measures:
- All the insulation measures mentioned above
You may be eligible for funding for one or several of these measures which can have a significant impact on your energy bills.
Am I eligible for free insulation?
As mentioned above, the introduction of the Great British Insulation Scheme opens up the eligibility for free or partially funded home insulation to 400,000 more households than under the ECO scheme alone.
Under this new scheme the eligibility has been split into two groups:
1. The ‘Low Income’ Group
This group have been the only people eligible for measure under the ECO4 Scheme in previous years. You can apply if eligible under the following:
- You own your own home (or, in some cases, rent from private landlord); AND
- Your home has an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of D or below (EPC E or below if renting) AND
- Someone living at the property qualifies for certain benefits, such as pension credit, universal credit, child benefit (subject to income limit), income support and housing benefit. See the full list of qualifying benefits; OR
- You live in social housing, or are considered by your local council as being on low income (total household income under £31,000 a year) and vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home.
2. The ‘General’ Group
Households that meet the following criteria are also eligible to apply for a grant. To be eligible, ALL of the following need to apply:
- You own your own home.
- Your home is in council tax band A to D in England, A to E in Scotland and A to C in Wales.
- Your home has an EPC rating of D or below. Or, if you live in social housing, an EPC rating of E, F or G.
Under the Great British Insulation scheme, those in the ‘general group’ will only be able to get one type of insulation installed. You may also have to pay a proportion of the costs, but you’ll be told this before any work is approved.
How do I apply?
So, how can you get started with insulation through the ECO4 or Great British Insulation scheme? The first step is to check your eligibility by giving us a call on 01422 414850.
It’s the quickest way to check your eligibility. However, you can also fill out a form on our website if you prefer.
Our experienced team will guide you through the process of claiming your free funding, right through to completion of the work.
Act now and take advantage of the free funding available through the ECO4 scheme or Great British Insulation Scheme. Contact us today!