Energy grants in 2024 and how to get them

Energy grants can be used to help pay your energy bills and pay for energy efficiency improvements to your home. But what energy grants are available, how can you find out if you're eligible for them and how do you apply? We take a look...

Rebecca Gamble Consumer Journalist

Energy grants summary

This guide starts by highlighting the help currently available for people struggling to pay energy bills in the form of energy grants direct from the government. We then look at the energy grants and schemes available to help make your home more energy efficient and reduce your bills in the longer term. We hope you find the help you’re looking for.

Government energy grants to help pay bills

Here is a summary table of all the government energy grants available in 2024. These include Cost of living support, the Disability cost of living support, Winter fuel payment and more.

Find more information on government grants in our guide to energy bills help

It is also worth using our free tool to compare energy providers to see if you can reduce your energy bill by switching provider.

Energy schemes & grants to make your home warmer

As well as grants the government directly issues, the government is also investing £12 billion in what is calls “Help to Heat” schemes to make homes warmer and cheaper to heat. This funding isn’t delivered directly by the government, but through installers, local authorities, energy companies and other bodies.

These includes the:

• Energy Company Obligation
• Great British Insulation Scheme
• Boiler Upgrade Scheme
• Home Upgrade Grant phase 2

You may or may not have heard of some of these schemes. But you’re right if you’re finding this confusing and a little overwhelming. Keep reading and we’ll explain all.

Energy grants via energy suppliers

Making your home more energy efficient is a key way to reduce energy bills. Two schemes from energy suppliers to help you do this are:

• The Energy Company Obligation scheme – for those on a low income
• The new Great British Insulation Scheme which is open to an additional 400,000 households.

1. The Energy Company Obligation scheme

You may be eligible to have multiple energy-efficiency improvements to your home if you meet certain criteria under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). It requires energy suppliers to help households cut their heating costs by fitting energy-saving measures ranging from loft and wall insulation to air source heat pumps.

The current scheme ECO4, which runs until 31 March 2026, focusses on improving the least energy efficient homes (properties with an EPC rating rating of D-G) and households in fuel poverty. The scheme also aims to deliver a more complete upgrade of those homes, shifting to a multi-measure ‘whole-house retrofit approach’.

Under the ECO4 scheme you may also be able to get your boiler repaired, upgraded or even replaced, and if you own your own home, you might qualify for free heating controls, such as thermostatic radiator valves, as well as other measures such as improved window glazing. These measures are not available under the Great British Insulation Scheme.

2. The Great British insulation scheme

The Great British Insulation scheme extends the support offered by the ECO4 scheme to those who don’t receive government benefits. The scheme is open to homeowners, landlords or tenants. But if you’re renting, you’ll need your landlord’s permission before any insulation can be installed.

You may get support if your home:

• Has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D to G. You can check your EPC rating here.
• Is in Council Tax bands A-D in England or A-E in Scotland or Wales

The types of insulation you may be able to get support to install include cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation (internal or external), loft insulation, flat or pitched roof insulation, underfloor insulation, solid floor insulation and room-in-roof insulation

You can check your eligibility. However, bear in mind that you’ll only be able to get one type of insulation installed and you may need to pay a proportion of the costs although you’ll be told this before any work is approved.

You can find out in a matter of minutes whether you qualify for the Great British Insulation Scheme by using this online eligibility checker. If you’re eligible, your energy supplier will contact you within 10 working days asking for extra information and to arrange an assessment of your property. Alternatively phone 0800 098 7950 or contact your supplier directly.

How much money can you save?

Here’s an illustration of how much installing energy efficiency measures may save you on energy bills each year. See our guide for more advice on what to consider with energy efficiency improvements.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Under the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme you can get grants of up to £7,500 to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems (including oil, gas and electric) with a heat pump or biomass boiler. There’s criteria you’ll need to meet to be eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, including the fact:

• your property must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation.
• you must be replacing a fossil fuel system and the property must be in England and Wales. Find out more in our guide on Heat pump grants and how to apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Home Upgrade Grant

This is for homes that don’t already have a gas boiler. You must also own the property and it must have an EPC rating of D to G. You’ll usually need to have a household income of £31,000 a year or less, to access a Home Upgrade Grant although this can vary by postcode area.

If you’re eligible, your local council will arrange a survey to see how your home could be made more energy efficient, such as by installing wall, loft and underfloor insulation, air source heat pumps or electric radiators. If you agree to the work your council will arrange and pay for the work to be done.

This energy grant is only available in England although you might be able to get funding from a different scheme if you live in Scotland, live in Wales or live in Northern Ireland.

Energy grants in Wales

The Welsh Government’s ‘Nest’ scheme gives free advice and support to help people in Wales improve their home’s energy efficiency. Plus, the scheme also offers free energy efficiency improvements such as a new boiler, insulation, or solar panels. There’s criteria you’ll need to meet – find out more here.

Energy grants in Scotland

While in Scotland, you can apply for energy efficiency grants for homeowners of up to £7,500 or £9,000 in some areas to help pay for energy-efficiency improvements including central heating, radiators, and insulation. Find out more information at Warmer Homes Scotland.

Hardship grants from energy companies

Many energy companies offer schemes or energy grants that offer help for those struggling with energy debts. For example, the British Gas trust offers the Individuals and Families Fund energy grant worth up to £1,500 and you don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply. But there’s criteria you’ll need to meet including having energy debt up to £2,000 and having a credit energy account OR use a Pre-Payment Meter. Other suppliers that offer hardship energy grants include EDF Energy, OVO Energy and Utilita.

You’ll usually need to jump through lots of administrative hoops when applying for these energy grants. For example, you’ll need to have spoken to a debt adviser first and completed a budget showing your income and spending.

Energy grants from charities

You can find information about energy grants some charities offer and how to go about applying at Charis. While Turn2us has a benefits calculator, a grants search tool to help you find out what support you can get and adviser locator tools. You’ll also find information on benefits and information on help with paying energy and water bills.

You may also get help from:

• National Energy Action (NEA): The NEA is fuel poverty and energy efficiency charity that provides energy advice to households in England and Wales.
• Home Energy Scotland offers free, practical advice on energy saving and reducing bills and will check your eligibility for Scottish Government energy grants and interest-free loans.
• NI Energy Advice offers energy advice for those in Northern Ireland.

Also if you or someone in your household is a veteran, you can apply for a grant to help pay your energy bills through the Royal British Legion

Can a green mortgage help?

Green mortgages reward you for saving energy in your property. Some lenders will give you lower interest rates or cashback and larger loans if your home meets a minimum energy-efficiency level. Other lenders will offer lower rates or cashback if you make energy-efficiency improvements. Or if you take out additional borrowing to pay for measures to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Each lender will have its own terms and conditions for its green mortgages, but lenders generally offer green mortgages on homes with an EPC rating of A or B. Read more in our guide What is an EPC?

Find out whether a green mortgage is right for you. Get expert advice from our partners at L&C. There’s no fee – just great service

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