Get help with the cost of energy efficiency

This advice applies to England. See advice for See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Scotland, See advice for Wales

You might be able to get help with the cost of making your home more energy efficient if you either:

  • own your home

  • rent from a private landlord

For example, you might be able to apply for help with the cost of insulation, a heat pump, a new boiler or boiler repairs. This means you'll have to pay less to heat your home and it will stay warm for longer.

You might be able to apply to:

  • the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

  • the Connected for Warmth insulation scheme

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

  • the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme

If you rent privately

You’ll need permission from your landlord if you want to make any big changes to your home - for example, adding insulation or replacing your boiler. Your landlord will usually have to pay some of the cost of making the improvements.

If you think you might be eligible for funding or grants, you should talk to your landlord before you apply.

If you live in social housing

There’s help available to make your home more energy efficient, but you can’t apply for it yourself. Your landlord will contact you about any work they’re doing to make your home more energy efficient.

Your landlord has to make sure your home is reasonably warm. If it isn’t, they might have to make repairs on your home. Check if your landlord has to repair your home and what you can do if they don’t.

Applying to the 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’ll usually need to pay some of the costs yourself.

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

Applying to the 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.

Applying for a 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.

To get a Home Upgrade Grant, one of the following must be true:

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.

Applying to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme

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

The government is extending the ECO scheme later this year. The new scheme will be called the Great British Insulation Scheme. You’ll be able to apply for help with things like insulation and making your home more energy efficient.

The new scheme will run until March 2026. Find out more about the Great British Insulation Scheme on the Ofgem website.

If you own your property or rent privately

If you own your property, you can apply if your home has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G.

If you rent from a private landlord, your home must have an EPC rating of E, F or G.

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

If you don’t have an EPC, you can still apply. Your home must need energy efficiency improvements to be eligible - for example, insulation or a more efficient heating system.

You’ll also need to be getting at least one of the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit

  • Pension Credit

  • Housing Benefit

  • Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit

  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

  • Income Support

If you don’t get any of these benefits, you might be able to apply to the ECO scheme if you get Child Benefit and your income is below a certain amount.

If you get Child Benefit

You can apply to the ECO scheme, depending on your income and your home’s EPC rating. If you own your property, it needs to have a rating of D, E, F or G. If you rent from a private landlord, it needs to have a rating of E, F or G.

The amount of income you need to have depends on how many children you’ve got, and whether you’re single or in a couple.

Your income is calculated before tax - it's known as your 'gross annual income'. It includes your earnings and any benefits that aren’t based on your income - for example, Personal Independence Payment. 

Your situation Maximum income you can have
Your situation

Single with 1 child
Maximum income you can have

£19,900 a year
Your situation

Single with 2 children
Maximum income you can have

£24,800 a year
Your situation

Single with 3 children
Maximum income you can have

£29,600 a year
Your situation

Single with 4 children or more
Maximum income you can have

£34,500 a year
Your situation

In a couple with 1 child
Maximum income you can have

£27,500 a year
Your situation

In a couple with 2 children
Maximum income you can have

£32,300 a year
Your situation

In a couple with 3 children
Maximum income you can have

£37,200 a year
Your situation

In a couple with 4 children or more
Maximum income you can have

£42,000 a year

Check the other situations when you can apply

Depending on where you live, there are some other situations when you might be able to apply to the ECO scheme through your local council.

These include if you:

  • have an income of less than £31,000

  • have a severe or long-term health condition

Your home also needs to have an EPC rating of D, E, F or G, or need energy efficiency improvements - for example, insulation or more efficient heating.

Not all local councils offer funding to people in these situations. Contact your local council to see what they offer. You can ask if there’s ECO funding available in your area and how you can apply for it. This type of funding is sometimes called ‘ECO flex funding’ or ‘flexible eligibility’.

You can find your council’s details on GOV.UK.

If you want to apply for help from the ECO scheme

Contact your local council - you can find your council’s details on GOV.UK. Ask them if there’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding available in your area and how you can apply for it.

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.

You can:

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.

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Page last reviewed on 17 March 2023