Insulation grants in the UK (2026): loft, cavity wall and solid wall

If you are looking for a loft insulation grant in late 2026, the main route in England is now the Warm Homes: Local Grant, run through local councils. The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) closed on 31 March 2026. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) formally runs until 31 December 2026, but in practice it is effectively closed to new applicants: at least one large supplier says it stopped taking new ECO4 applications in early March 2026, and Peterborough City Council says most suppliers have used, or nearly used, their funding.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own schemes. This is general information, not advice: nobody can promise you will qualify, so check your own case with your council, GOV.UK or the scheme itself.

What has closed and what replaces it

As announced at the November 2025 Budget, there will be no successor supplier obligation after ECO4. Instead, the government response of 23 January 2026 points to an extra £1.5bn of grant funding for low-income households.

The government intends to merge the Warm Homes: Local Grant with its social housing fund into a single low-income scheme from 2027/28, with more area-based delivery. Full details had not been published on any page we found. Our glossary entries on the Energy Company Obligation and the Warm Homes Plan cover the background.

Grants you can still apply for in England

Warm Homes: Local Grant

The Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) has £500m allocated and is delivered by councils. The rules below come from government policy guidance for councils, updated June 2026.

Who can apply: owner-occupiers and private renters in England. Social housing is not eligible, apart from limited “in-fill” cases.

Your home: it must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G. Homes rated A to C are ineligible in all circumstances. Homes on or off the gas grid can qualify.

Income: you need to meet one of three tests:

1. You live in a postcode in the two most deprived income deciles. Your council checks this automatically from the postcode.
2. You receive a means-tested benefit: Housing Benefit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit (Guarantee or Savings Credit) or Universal Credit.
3. Your gross household income is below £36,000, or below an “after housing costs” threshold that depends on household size (for example £20,000 for one adult).

What it pays for: measures recommended by a whole-house assessment under PAS 2035, which can include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and other wall insulation, as well as low-carbon heating. The aim is to bring the home to EPC C, or to fit the recommended package. Caps are £16,600 per home for energy-efficiency upgrades plus £16,600 for low-carbon heating, raised in 2026 from £15,000 each.

Cost to you: the guidance says owner-occupiers are not required or expected to contribute. Tenants pay nothing. Private landlords get one home fully funded, then pay 50% on further homes.

How to apply: there is no national form. You apply through your local council or its delivery partner. Some portals have paused because of demand (London’s closed temporarily; Camden says its portal reopened in April 2026), so check your council’s website.

Older households

We found no age-based insulation grant in England for 2026, including for over-70s. Age is not a criterion for the Warm Homes: Local Grant. Older people mainly qualify through Pension Credit, one of the listed benefits, or through the income or postcode tests. The Warm Home Discount (£150 for winter 2026/27) and the Winter Fuel Payment help with bills, not insulation.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Scotland

Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan is for owner-occupiers whose home is their main residence. It is not means-tested, so you do not need to be on benefits. A valid EPC must recommend the measure, and work must not start before you have a written offer. Maximum amounts are:

• Loft, cavity or underfloor insulation: up to £1,500 grant plus £500 loan.
• Flat roof or room-in-roof insulation: up to £3,000 grant plus £1,000 loan.
• Solid wall insulation: up to £7,500 grant plus £2,500 loan.

The grant covers up to 75% of the cost. A rural and island uplift of £1,500 is available, and spray foam is not eligible. Funding is first come, first served and subject to availability.

Warmer Homes Scotland is for owners and private tenants on low incomes or in certain circumstances, with eligibility based partly on age, income and health. Support is often fully funded. You apply through Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282, and they can confirm the current criteria for your household.

Wales

Nest is the Welsh Government scheme offering free energy efficiency improvements, including insulation. The official page does not set out detailed criteria, so call Nest on 0808 808 2244 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm) to check whether your household qualifies.

Northern Ireland

ECO, GBIS, the Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Home Discount do not apply in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s Affordable Warmth Scheme helps low-income owner-occupiers and private tenants, and it prioritises loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and draught-proofing. The latest information we found said it would continue until March 2026, and we could not confirm its status or income threshold for 2026/27. Contact the NI Energy Advice Service on 0800 111 44 55 to check what is available now.

Loft insulation: cost and savings

The figures below are from the Energy Saving Trust (EST) roof and loft insulation page, last updated 8 May 2026. They are unsubsidised professional installation costs for a gas-heated home in Great Britain. For insulating from 0mm to 270mm, EST bases the savings on fuel prices as of July 2026.

For a semi-detached house with no loft insulation, that is about £750 to save about £190 a year; a top-up saves far less. In Northern Ireland, EST gives £1,100 to insulate a semi from scratch (saving £230 a year) and £700 for a top-up (saving £20 a year).

EST recommends at least 270mm of mineral wool, which lasts around 40 years. Fix any damp first, keep the loft ventilated, and insulate water tanks and pipes. EST also advises against spraying foam under a leaking roof. For other ways to cut heat loss, see our guide on how to save energy at home.

Cavity wall insulation: suitability, cost, savings and problems

Is your home suitable?

EST says homes built after the 1920s are likely to have cavity walls, and homes built from the 1990s onwards usually already have wall insulation. Brick walls 260mm to 350mm thick are likely to be cavity walls. If every brick is laid lengthways, the wall is usually a cavity wall. If some bricks show their short end in an alternating pattern, it is usually solid. A registered installer can carry out a borescope inspection to see whether the cavity has already been filled.

Standard cavity fill is suitable if:

• the cavity is unfilled, at least 50mm wide and clear of rubble;
• the masonry is in good condition;
• the walls are not exposed to driving rain;
• the house is not at risk of flooding.

Terraced and semi-detached homes need a cavity barrier, and flats need agreement from the whole block. Fitting usually takes about two hours. EST says you should get a 25-year guarantee from the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) or an independent insurance-backed guarantee.

Cost and savings

These figures are from the EST cavity wall insulation page (last updated 8 May 2026), for gas-heated homes in Great Britain, with savings based on fuel prices as of July 2026.

EST says about a third of the heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the walls. In Northern Ireland, EST gives about £1,000 for a semi-detached house, saving about £240 a year in an oil-heated home.

Problems and removal

If damp or mould appears after cavity wall insulation is fitted, EST advises contacting the installer first. They should re-inspect and fix the problem, or remove the insulation if needed. If the installer has gone out of business, claim under your CIGA guarantee or other insurance-backed guarantee. Damp caused by poor maintenance is not covered. If both refuse, use their complaints procedures, get an independent RICS surveyor, and use a specialist removal company.

We found no government grant for removing cavity wall insulation in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. A 2024 Parliament petition asking for removal funding closed with 984 signatures and received no government response. Removal is usually pursued through the installer, the guarantee or a complaint.

Solid wall insulation

Solid walls need internal or external insulation, which costs much more. According to the EST solid wall insulation page (last updated 18 June 2026), insulating a typical three-bedroom semi in Great Britain costs about £15,000 for external insulation or about £12,000 for internal insulation. Those figures assume a professional installer, the whole house and full redecoration.

EST gives these yearly savings in Great Britain: detached £500, semi-detached £280, mid-terrace £150, detached bungalow £220, flat £140.

External wall insulation may need planning permission, so check first, especially for listed buildings and conservation areas. Use breathable materials on older walls.

Quality has been a serious problem. The Warm Homes Plan cites a National Audit Office report from October 2025. Audits found 92% of external wall insulation installs under ECO4 and GBIS had at least one major non-compliance, and a further 6% had a potential health and safety risk. TrustMark’s “Find & Fix” programme offers free audits of external wall insulation fitted under ECO4 or GBIS, with problems fixed at no cost. Ofgem sent affected households letters in early 2026 carrying a Unique Measure Reference Number. EST lists TrustMark’s number as 0333 555 1234, option 1.

VAT relief and installer standards (TrustMark/PAS 2035)

VAT

Installing energy-saving materials, including insulation, in homes is charged at 0% VAT until 31 March 2027. This has applied in Great Britain since 1 April 2022 and in Northern Ireland since 1 May 2023. HMRC says the rate will go back to 5% from 1 April 2027. We found no extension as of October 2026, so check the current rate if your work will happen near that date.

Installer standards

Under government schemes, installers must be PAS 2030 certified, comply with PAS 2035, and be TrustMark registered (or equivalent). Warm Homes: Local Grant work must follow PAS 2035:2023, and measures are lodged on TrustMark’s data warehouse. Since May 2025, installers only need certification with one body per type of measure.

If you are paying yourself, EST advises using a TrustMark installer, checking their Competent Person Scheme, getting at least three quotes and a written contract. Our EPC rating running costs tool can help you weigh up an upgrade.

Avoiding cold callers and scams

Lancashire Trading Standards reported cold callers offering “government scheme” upgrades in August 2026. Some checks:

• Check the offer independently. GOV.UK advises checking any approach about ECO with your council or the energy supplier the caller claims to represent. Arun District Council says no council cold-calls about insulation grants, and Wakefield says its endorsed schemes always write first.
• Ask for the reference number. Only Ofgem and TrustMark know your Unique Measure Reference Number. If someone offering a “free audit” cannot quote it, do not let them in or share your details.
• Watch for warning signs. EST lists pressure to decide now, a quote far below others, no references or certification, and no written contract.
• Be wary of “free ECO4 insulation” after 2026. GBIS has closed and ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026, so anyone selling free ECO4 insulation in 2027 is a red flag. This is our own view, based on the scheme end dates.

Frequently asked questions

Is there still a loft insulation grant in 2026?

In England, the main route is the Warm Homes: Local Grant, through your council. GBIS has closed, and ECO4 formally runs to 31 December 2026 but is effectively closed to new applicants. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own schemes.

Is there a government loft insulation grant for over-70s?

We found no age-based insulation grant in England. Older people usually qualify through Pension Credit, which counts for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, or through low household income. In Scotland, Warmer Homes Scotland takes age into account alongside income and health.

Can I get free cavity wall insulation?

Possibly. Eligible owner-occupiers under the Warm Homes: Local Grant are not expected to contribute, and tenants pay nothing, but the home must be rated EPC D to G, you must meet an income test, and the assessment must recommend the measure.

Is there a grant to remove cavity wall insulation?

We found no government grant for removal anywhere in the UK. If insulation has caused damp, go to the installer first, then the CIGA or insurance-backed guarantee, then a complaint.

What replaced ECO4 and GBIS?

No new supplier obligation. Help now comes from government grants under the Warm Homes Plan, including an extra £1.5bn for low-income households.