What is the GREAT BRITISH INSUALTION SCHEME?
The £1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme (formerly known as ECO+) is due to run until March 2026 and extends support to hundreds of thousands of households in energy inefficient homes in lower Council Tax bands, in an attempt to help some of the most vulnerable bring down their energy costs.
The £1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme (formerly known as ECO+) is due to run until March 2026 and extends support to hundreds of thousands of households in energy inefficient homes in lower Council Tax bands, in an attempt to help some of the most vulnerable bring down their energy costs.
Some of the main details of the GB Insulation Scheme are as follows:
- Grants of up to £15,000 to eligible households
- Will benefit households that do not currently benefit from government support to upgrade their home
- 80% of the funding available for households who are in some of the least energy-efficient homes in the country
- This includes homes with an EPC rating of D or below or those in the lower Council Tax bands
- Around 20% of the fund targeted to those who are the most vulnerable, including those on means tested benefits or in fuel poverty
Loft Inuslation
Who can Qualify for a Loft Insulation Grant?
Funding criteria differs for the GBIS and ECO4 schemes and so many more households are likely to be eligible for free funding. To qualify for loft insulation funding under the ECO scheme, you need to either own your home or privately rent it and have the landlord’s permission to make the necessary changes.
If you meet the criteria, you should be eligible for a free grant that does not have to be paid back. Even if you are not entitled to a 100% grant, it is still worth enquiring as you could get a subsidy to save you money on your loft insulation.
There have been some changes to the ECO scheme meaning that some low-income households were previously excluded, as they didn’t receive benefits. Grants are also targeted at those homes that would most benefit from insulation and whose Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) puts them in the bands E, F or G.
Social housing tenants should contact their council or housing association as they organise their own schemes to help improve energy efficiency in low-income households. If you own 50% or more of a housing association home, you can still apply for a grant.
Tanks and pipework are added on as part of the scheme, as well as fitting draught excluders around the hatch and a walkway to any tanks that are further than 1m from the hatch. Keep in mind that the insulation needs to cover 60% or more of the property. Extensions don’t usually qualify for grant funding for this reason.
Cavity Wall Insulation
Filling the wall cavities in your property with insulation materials helps keep the heat inside your home for longer. SAVING YOU MONEY!
Free cavity wall insulation funding is available to qualifying households to help them with the cost of cavity wall insulation installation. In most cases, the home must be owned by the occupier, although there may be other circumstances in which private tenants may be eligible, so it is still worth making an inquiry to see what help you could get.
The grants, which do not have to be repaid, are part of the Government schemes, including the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) scheme and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which aim to help to households that are low income, vulnerable and fuel poor by offering them free insulation such as cavity wall insulation. The grants are provided by the major energy energy companies as part of a commitment to reduce overall carbon footprints.
Cavity wall insulation is a great way to cut your energy bills and make your home warm and cosy. By get cavity wall insulation installed properly you could cut heat loss by up to a third and reduce your annual heating bills by up to £485 (according to Energy Saving Trust figures based on fuel prices as of January 2024), depending on the type of property you live in.
How Do You !ualify for The Grant?
Funding for cavity wall insulation comes from the government energy efficiency schemes which have the twin aims of reducing carbon emissions and helping households that otherwise would struggle with the costs of heating their homes. Now (since April 2022) in its 4th iteration, eligibility under ECO4 differs from the previous ECO3 scheme in that it is not just based on being in receipt of benefits.
The ECO4 scheme is more closely related to household income to ensure that those low income households who are not in receipt of benefits can still take advantage of the free insulation grants available under the great British Insualtion scheme for FREE
What is Internal Wall Insulation?
There are two main types of internal wall insulation. Either insulation boards are fixed to the walls, or timber can be made with an insulating material positioned between the timber. Stud walls have more strength than insulation boards and can carry the weight of shelving, cupboards, etc, with ease, but they are often thicker than insulation boards.
The choice of technique for installing internal wall insulation will depend on how your property is built. It is intended for properties with solid walls, as opposed to those with cavity walls, which should be filled with cavity wall insulation instead. Your insulation installer will be able to provide advice on which solution is right for your home.
How Does Internal Insulation Benefit You?
Having professionally installed internal insulation can decrease the amount of heat being lost in your home by up to 45%. This is a significant percentage and could lead to savings in your energy bills of up to £380 per year in a standard semi-detached property, according to estimates from the Energy Saving Trust.
Also, if you qualify for an internal wall insulation grant you could have all or some of the cost of installing your insulation covered, so it is definitely worth seeing if you might be eligible. This is especially significant because typical internal wall insulation costs (based on a 3-bedroom semi-detached property) could be as much as £7,500.
A good time to have internal wall insulation work done is when you are looking to have some other building or decorating work carried out anyway. Whichever option of internal insulation you choose, you will still need to remove and replace fittings such as light switches, skirting boards and others.
Grants for Internal Wall Insulation
Free internal wall insulation grants are available through the Energy Company Obligation ECO4 scheme. If you are eligible for a grant you won’t have to pay anything back, it is completely free. The grants are provided by the UK’s main energy companies who have an obligation to help domestic households improve their carbon footprint, energy efficiency and ultimately save money. This will help with the fight against climate change and work towards the government’s goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions.
Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). Funding is available until March 2026 available to households for insulation measures. Funding is aimed at low income households and those with poor energy efficiency (Energy Performance Certificate rated D or below). It will also assist those in the lowest Council Tax bands (A-D in England and A-E in Scotland and Wales).
The survey and installation process will be 100% FREE to the applicant. Let’s check if we can help you with the GBIS government-backed ECO4 Grant Funding.
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support (IS)
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Working Tax Credit (WTC)
- Child Tax Credits (CTC)
- Universal Credit (UC)
- Housing Benefit (new eligible benefit under ECO4)
- Pension Credit Savings Credit (new eligible benefit under ECO4)
- Households with an EPC rating of D or below
- Households in Council Tax bands A-D in England & A-E in Scotland and Wales
- Funding is targeted at those that haven’t previously received government funding
