Every Energy Grant UK Homeowners Can Still Claim in 2026

Update (June 2026): GBIS closed in March 2026; ECO4 has been extended to 31 December 2026, when it ends. The BUS grant EPC requirement was removed on 28 April 2026. Air-to-air heat pumps now qualify for a £2,500 BUS grant. The standard BUS grant stays at £7,500; homes heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas connection can get £9,000 for applications from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027.

The UK government and local authorities offer several grants and schemes to help homeowners improve their home’s energy efficiency. The problem is that information is scattered across multiple websites, eligibility criteria change frequently, and many homeowners are not aware of what they qualify for. Here is a plain-English summary of every major energy grant available to UK homeowners in 2026, who qualifies, and how to apply.

What Energy Grants Can UK Homeowners Claim in 2026?

UK homeowners can claim several energy grants in 2026:

• Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) — up to £7,500 towards a heat pump (£9,000 until 31 March 2027 for homes heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas connection) or £5,000 for a biomass boiler
• ECO4 — fully funded insulation and heating upgrades for low-income households, extended to December 2026
• Warm Homes: Local Grant — fully funded retrofits for low-income homeowners via local authorities
• 0% VAT on energy-saving materials — covers solar panels, heat pumps, insulation and batteries until 31 March 2027, then 5%
• Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) — payments of 4 to 15p per kWh for surplus solar electricity exported to the grid
• Local authority grants — additional funding varies by council area

Eligibility depends on your income, benefits status, property type and EPC rating. The ECO4 scheme and Warm Homes: Local Grant target homes rated EPC D to G where the household gets a means-tested benefit or has a low income (the Warm Homes: Local Grant also accepts an eligible postcode); a low EPC rating on its own doesn’t qualify. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme and 0 percent VAT are available to all homeowners regardless of income.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides upfront grants to help homeowners replace fossil fuel heating systems with heat pumps. The grant values for 2026 are:

• Air source heat pump: £7,500 grant
• Ground source heat pump: £7,500 grant
• Biomass boiler: £5,000 grant (rural properties not connected to gas grid only)

Who qualifies: You must own the property (or be a private landlord), the EPC requirement was removed from 28 April 2026, so the property no longer needs a specific EPC outcome, and you must be replacing a fossil fuel heating system (gas, oil, LPG, or electric). New-build properties are not eligible. The scheme is available in England and Wales.

How to apply: You do not apply directly. Your MCS-certified heat pump installer applies on your behalf. The grant is deducted from your installation quote, so you pay the reduced price upfront. Choose an installer who is registered with the BUS scheme and they handle the paperwork.

ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation)

ECO4 is the main scheme for fully funded or heavily subsidised insulation and heating improvements. It is funded by energy suppliers and delivered through local installers.

What it covers: Cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, solid wall insulation, underfloor insulation, boiler replacements, heat pumps, solar panels, and other energy efficiency measures. The specific measures offered depend on your property’s EPC rating and what improvements would make the biggest difference.

Who qualifies: You must either receive certain means-tested benefits (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, or Housing Benefit) or live in a property with an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G and meet income thresholds. Some local authorities operate a flexible eligibility route (ECO Flex) that allows people who do not receive qualifying benefits but are on low incomes or in fuel poverty to access the scheme.

How to apply: Contact your local authority to check if they operate ECO Flex, or search for ECO4-approved installers in your area. Your energy supplier’s website may also have information about available schemes. Beware of cold-callers and door-knockers claiming to offer free insulation — always verify through official channels.

Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS): Closed on 31 March 2026

GBIS closed on 31 March 2026. It focused specifically on insulation for homes in lower council tax bands, regardless of whether you received benefits.

What it covered: Cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, flat roof insulation, solid wall insulation, underfloor insulation, and room-in-roof insulation.

Who qualified: There were two routes. The first was for homeowners in council tax bands A to D in England or A to E in Scotland and Wales, living in properties with an EPC of D or below. The second was for anyone receiving qualifying means-tested benefits, regardless of council tax band. You had to own your home or have landlord permission.

How to apply: You can’t: the scheme has closed. For insulation now, ECO4 funds eligible low-income households in England, Scotland and Wales until 31 December 2026. In England, councils run the Warm Homes: Local Grant for homes rated EPC D to G where the household has a gross income under £36,000, gets a means-tested benefit or lives in an eligible postcode; Scotland has the Home Energy Scotland grant and loan, Wales has Nest (means-tested) and Northern Ireland has the Affordable Warmth scheme (household income under £23,000).

0% VAT on Energy-Saving Materials

This is not a grant but it saves the 5% VAT that would otherwise apply. Until 31 March 2027 (then 5%), the following installations carry 0% VAT when fitted to residential properties:

• Solar panels and solar thermal systems
• Heat pumps (air source and ground source)
• Insulation (wall, floor, and loft)
• Draught stripping
• Heating controls (thermostats, TRVs, smart heating controls)
• Wind turbines and water turbines
• Biomass boilers

Who qualifies: Any homeowner having these materials installed in a residential property. There are no income or benefit requirements. The installer should automatically apply the 0% rate on your invoice. If they charge you 20% VAT on any of the above, query it.

Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

If you install solar panels, a wind turbine, or other small-scale generation, the Smart Export Guarantee requires energy suppliers to pay you for surplus electricity you export to the grid.

How much you earn: Rates vary by supplier, typically between 4p and 15p per kWh exported. Octopus Energy, EDF, and British Gas tend to offer competitive rates. Some suppliers offer fixed rates while others offer variable or time-of-use rates that pay more during peak hours.

How to apply: Once your solar panels are installed and registered with MCS, you can sign up with any SEG-licensed supplier. You do not have to use the same supplier for your import tariff. Shop around for the best export rate.

Local Authority Grants

Many local councils run their own energy efficiency schemes using government funding or local budgets. These vary significantly by area but can include free or subsidised insulation, boiler replacements, solar panel programmes, and energy advice services. Your local council’s website is the best starting point. Search for your council name plus “energy grants” or “home improvement grants” to find current schemes.

In particular, homeowners in the North West of England should check with their local authority about the Warm Homes: Local Grant, which replaced the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2) when it ended in March 2025. It covers homes with EPC ratings of D or below and can fund heat pumps, insulation, and solar panels at no cost to qualifying homeowners. In most of Lancashire (not Fylde) it runs through Cosy Homes in Lancashire, whose 2026/27 funding is fully committed; applications reopen in March 2027.

How to Check What You Qualify For

The quickest way to check your eligibility across all schemes is to use the government’s Simple Energy Advice service at simpleenergyadvice.org.uk. Enter your postcode and answer a few questions about your property and circumstances, and it shows which grants and schemes are available to you. It is free, impartial, and takes about five minutes.

If you are not sure where to start, getting a free quote from a qualified installer is often the most practical first step. Good installers know which grants apply to your situation and will factor them into your quote automatically. Just make sure you get at least three quotes to compare, and always verify that the installer is MCS-certified and registered with the relevant grant schemes before committing.