Get a grant or loan to improve your home energy efficiency

The journey of improving the energy efficiency of a home can be costly.

Our new plan builder tool is the first step in helping understand what is required. Knowing what funding is available and how to access it, is also important.

Currently there are several open schemes offering help.

ECO4

Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is the 4th Edition of the scheme, administered by Ofgem and financed through the energy companies green levy with a great emphasis on low performing E, F & G properties.

The scheme focuses on private and social rented properties. ECO4 commenced on 27 July 2022 and runs until 31 March 2026.

Unlike other schemes ECO4 looks at a whole house approach this means there is the potential to install more than one improvement.

Properties must achieve a minimum improvement of 2 EPC bands to qualify for the full allocation of funding.

Larger homes with lowest EPC score will generally see the most funding.

Types of works covered are:

cavity wall insulation
solid wall insulation (internal or external)
loft insulation
flat or pitched roof insulation.
underfloor insulation
solid floor insulation
park home insulation
room-in-roof insulation

Renewables:

Air Source Heat Pumps
Solar PV

You will need to contact a utility provider directly to apply for this scheme and importantly you don't have to choose your current supplier. 

Criteria

ECO4 is open to owner-occupiers, private rental tenants, and landlords.

Owner-occupier properties must have an EPC rating of D, E, F or G.

Privately rented properties must have an EPC rating of E, F or G

And

The occupier of the property must have either

A total household annual income below £31,000

Or:

Receive a means-tested benefit or meet the eligibility criteria specified in your local authority's ECO flexible eligibility 'statement of intent' also called ECOFLEX.

ECO 4 flex statement of intent (Word doc, 64 KB)

ECOFLEX

ECOFLEX is part of the ECO4 scheme.

The flexibility part simply extends the eligibility criteria of the scheme to include.:

Route 1

SAP bands D-G households with an income less than £31,000.

This cap applies irrespective of the property size, composition, or region.

Route 2

SAP bands E-G households that meet a combination of two of the following proxies:

Proxy 1) Homes in England in Lower-layer Super Output Area 1-3 (LSOA)*
Proxy 2) Householders receiving a Council Tax rebate (rebates based on low income only, excludes single person rebates).
Proxy 3) Householders vulnerable to living in a cold home as identified in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidance. Only one from the list can be used, excludes the proxy 'low income'.
Proxy 4) A householder receiving free school meals due to low-income.
Proxy 5) A householder supported by a LA run scheme, that has been named and described by the LA as supporting low income and vulnerable households for the purposes of NICE Guideline.
Proxy 6) A household referred to the LA for support by their energy supplier or Citizen's Advice, because they have been identified as struggling to pay their electricity and gas bills.

Route 3

SAP bands D-G owner-occupied households and private rented sector E-G households that have been identified by their doctor or GP as low-income and vulnerable, with an occupant whose health conditions may be impacted further by living in a cold home.

These health conditions may be cardiovascular, respiratory, immunosuppressed, or limited mobility related.

This is because we have identified a positive correlation between households who suffer from long-term health conditions and living off a low-income, with living in poorly insulated homes

Route 4

SAP band D-G owner-occupied households and private rented sector E-G households that are referred under Route 4: Bespoke Targeting.

Suppliers and local authorities can submit an application to BEIS where they have identified a low income and vulnerable household, who are not already eligible under the exiting routes.

Our role in this process is only to confirm if a household is eligible for the funding. We take no responsibility for the quality of the works, as this relationship sits between the household and the installer.

Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) originally called ECO+

The Great British Insulation Scheme is latest scheme introduced by government aimed at 300,000 households across the country to help insulate homes and lower energy bills.

The scheme will run until March 2026.

Those who are interested should contact an energy supplier.

Unlike ECO4 which promotes multiple improvements the GBIS scheme is only aimed at insulation.

Types of Insulation Included

cavity wall insulation
solid wall insulation (internal or external)
loft insulation
flat or pitched roof insulation
underfloor insulation
solid floor insulation
park home insulation
room-in-roof insulation

To take part you can use the government free eligibility tool.

You will also require a valid Energy Performance Certificate of D, E, For G and be in the lower Council Tax bands A-D. 

Great British Insulation Scheme Program Is administered by Ofgem; The scheme obligates medium and large utility providers to help customers reduce their heating bills.

Boiler upgrade scheme (BUS)

The boiler upgrade scheme has changed. From Monday 23 October, the grant level for air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps will be £7,500.

This funding was launched in 2022 to encourage homeowners to install renewable heating technology.

The scheme will continue to run until 2025 and is aimed at homeowners of existing homes with traditional heating systems. The funding does not include the cost of hot water tanks or adjustments to heating pipe work or radiators.

To take part you will need to:

own your own property
be replacing a fossil burning appliance like gas and oil or LPG
not have used ECO funding for any part of the heating system
have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
you must have completed all 'Fabric' improvements like cavity wall and loft insulation before applying
found a contractor who certified by the Microgeneration Scheme (MCS) and who holds a BUS installer account

The contractor will apply for the grant on your behalf.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is administered by Ofgem their role is to publish guidance, process voucher applications and redemptions, organise voucher payments and monitoring and enforcing compliance with the requirements of the regulations.

Warmer homes - Home Upgrade Scheme (HUG)

The Warmer Homes programme is funded by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ)

The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) runs until 31st March 2025. Households on low incomes that are not connected to the gas grid (electric heating, oil boiler and LPG are eligible) and have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G.

Improvements available are:

solid wall insulation
cavity wall insulation
loft insulation
high retention storage heaters
room in roof insulation
air source heat pumps
solar PV panels
heating controls

Funding can range from £3,000 to £38,000 per property, depending on eligability. There are distinct cost caps based on property characteristics, property size and whether the measure is energy efficiency measure (such as insulation or solar PV) or clean heat measure (such as an air source heat pump).

Who can apply

The programme is available to owner occupiers and private rental households only.

Private rental properties will require landlords to provide consent and will require a financial contribution.

The contribution will differ on a case-by-case basis depending on the improvements needed.

Eligibility is based on the tenant, so there also needs to be a permanent tenant residing in property.

Households must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the programme:

Have an EPC rating of D, E, F or G

And either:

Have a total household annual income of £31,000 or less before housing costs (mortgage/ rent and council tax) or £20,000 or less after housing costs (mortgage/rent and council tax)

Or:

They receive a means-tested benefit

Or:

Their home is within an Indices of Multiple Deprivation Income Decile 1-3 postcode area.

How to apply

Call the Warmer Homes advice line (0800 038 5737) to find out more and apply, or to use the simple "register your interest" form on the Warmer Homes website.

www.warmerhomes.org.uk or https://www.warmerhomes.org.uk/register-your-interest.

After you have applied

Once you have submitted your application to Warmer Homes, they will send you a welcome pack and eligibility verification documents.

These documents allow Warmer Homes to check your eligibility so that their team can fully assess your application.

Warmer Homes programme

The programme will be delivered by AgilityEco and they will be responsible for all customer and installer communications for the scheme, approval of all quotes and keeping applicants informed of their progression through the scheme.

We are part of a local consortium, led by Portsmouth City Council, which has secured funding from these schemes to offer grant funding to improve the energy efficiency of eligible homes.

Use the link to check to see if your home has a valid Energy Performance Certificate.

Free Energy Advice, The Environment Centre 

The Environment Centre in Southampton offers advice to Hampshire residents, those living in cold homes, with expensive bills or broken boilers.

The team help customers access available funding, warm homes discounts or to switch energy providers.

There is also additional resources for those living in rural areas .