Warm Homes Local Grant
17 August 2026
Warm Homes Local Grant: Up to £30,000 Explained
The Warm Homes Local Grant is the scheme most people don't realise they might qualify for, because it's designed specifically for households who earn too much for ECO4 but not enough to comfortably fund a heat pump or solar installation themselves. The income threshold sits at £36,000 a year, which is genuinely generous compared with most energy efficiency schemes, and there's no requirement to be receiving benefits at all.
It's also the scheme with the longest runway. ECO4 closes on 31 December 2026 and the Great British Insulation Scheme closed to new applicants on 31 March 2026, while the Warm Homes Local Grant runs to March 2028.
What It Actually Pays
Up to £30,000 per household, structured as two separate pots rather than a single amount:
Pot | Amount | Covers |
|---|---|---|
Energy performance measures | Up to £15,000 | Insulation, solar panels, ventilation |
Low carbon heat technologies | Up to £15,000 | Air source heat pumps, smart heating controls |
The split matters practically, since you can't move funding between pots. A household needing extensive insulation but no new heating system draws only on the first allocation.
For eligible households, the work is genuinely free. There's no contribution required from an eligible owner-occupier, and the funding is non-repayable.
Who Qualifies: Three Routes In
Eligibility works through three pathways, and you only need to satisfy one of them.
Pathway 1: Postcode. If your home falls within Index of Multiple Deprivation income deciles 1 or 2, you may qualify on location alone without an income assessment.
Pathway 2: Low income proxies. Councils can verify eligibility through other indicators of low income, which vary by authority.
Pathway 3: Income threshold. Household income of £36,000 or less per year, counting all adults in the property. This is the headline route and the one most applicants use.
Worth knowing that thresholds vary in practice, with reported council implementations ranging from roughly £23,000 to £38,000, so your local authority's specific figure is the one that matters rather than the national headline.
The Property Requirements
Beyond household eligibility, the property itself needs to meet several conditions.
It must be in England. Scotland runs Home Energy Scotland grants and loans, Wales runs Nest, and Northern Ireland runs its own scheme, so this grant doesn't apply outside England.
It must have an EPC rating of D, E, F or G. Homes already rated A, B or C are explicitly excluded, since the scheme targets properties with the most room for improvement.
It must be privately owned, either owner-occupied or privately rented with written landlord consent. Social housing has separate routes.
It must be your main residence. Second homes and holiday lets don't qualify, though park homes and houseboats have their own eligibility track within the scheme.
Your council must be participating. Coverage is now above 97% of eligible local authority areas, but a small number haven't onboarded, so checking your specific council is worth doing early.
The Stacking Opportunity Most People Miss
This is where the scheme becomes genuinely powerful. The Warm Homes Local Grant can be combined with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, because they fund different measures from different allocations.
In practice, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme funds the heat pump at £7,500, or £9,000 for off-gas-grid oil and LPG homes from 21 July 2026, while the Warm Homes Local Grant's energy performance pot funds insulation and solar separately. No individual measure gets double-funded, which is the rule, but a household can end up with a comprehensive whole-house retrofit at very substantial public subsidy.
If a heat pump is part of what you're considering, it's worth understanding what one actually costs before the grants come off, since that determines how far the funding stretches. Our related guide covers how much it costs to install a heat pump in the UK, including the radiator and hot water cylinder costs that catch people out, which is the detail that shapes whether a grant covers most of a project or only part of it.
How to Apply
Applications go through your local council, not directly to government, and not through a national portal. The gov.uk postcode tool routes you to the right authority.
Once you apply, your council typically contacts you within around 10 working days and arranges a home survey. That survey determines which measures your property actually needs and which you'll be offered, rather than you selecting from a menu.
All work should be carried out by TrustMark and MCS registered installers, which is a scheme requirement rather than a nicety.
Timing and Funding
The scheme launched on 1 April 2025 with £500 million committed in the first tranche, running to March 2028, with further tranches funded under the wider Warm Homes Plan to 2030.
Funding is allocated to councils rather than being an unlimited national pot, which means local availability can genuinely run out before the scheme's end date. That's the practical argument for applying earlier rather than assuming March 2028 is a comfortable deadline.
How It Fits With Other Schemes
Scheme | Amount | Means-tested | Runs to |
|---|---|---|---|
Warm Homes Local Grant | Up to £30,000 | Yes, £36,000 threshold | March 2028 |
Boiler Upgrade Scheme | £7,500, or £9,000 off gas grid | No | Ongoing |
ECO4 | Free boiler and insulation | Yes, benefits or LA Flex | 31 December 2026 |
The Warm Homes Plan is the umbrella programme rather than a scheme you apply to directly, which trips people up. You apply to the individual sub-programmes beneath it, and for most homeowners in England that means the Warm Homes Local Grant specifically.
Common Mistakes and What to Do Instead
Mistake: assuming you need to be on benefits. The £36,000 income threshold route requires no benefits at all. This scheme exists precisely for households above ECO4's eligibility but below comfortable self-funding.
Mistake: applying to the Warm Homes Plan rather than the Local Grant. The Plan is an umbrella programme. You apply to your council for the Warm Homes Local Grant specifically.
Mistake: not checking your council is participating. Coverage exceeds 97% of eligible areas, but a small number of authorities haven't onboarded. Check via the gov.uk postcode tool before assuming availability.
Mistake: assuming an EPC of C still qualifies. Homes rated A, B or C are explicitly excluded. Check your current EPC rating on the national register before applying.
Mistake: waiting until close to March 2028. Funding is allocated per council and can run out locally well before the national end date. Earlier applications face better odds.
Mistake: not exploring stacking with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The two grants fund different measures and can be combined, which substantially increases total support for a whole-house retrofit.
Common Questions About the Money
The grant is non-repayable. It isn't a loan and doesn't need to be paid back.
Eligible owner-occupiers pay nothing. For private tenants the work is still free to you, though your landlord may be asked to contribute in some circumstances.
The money goes to a registered installer, not to you, so there's no upfront outlay to recover.
Staying Safe
Apply through your local council or gov.uk. Never pay a fee to apply, since legitimate applications are free through every route. Verify installer registration through TrustMark or MCS directly before signing anything.
Be cautious about unsolicited approaches, doorstep visits, or cold calls offering to arrange grant funding, since the legitimate route runs through your council rather than through sales outreach. In January 2026 the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee published a report on faulty energy efficiency installations, which is a genuine reason to verify installer credentials properly rather than accepting whoever approaches you first.
Scheme guidance was updated in July 2026 to reflect the Warm Homes Plan publication, including revised cost caps and eligibility, so confirm current details with your council or gov.uk rather than relying on earlier figures.
FAQ
How much is the Warm Homes Local Grant worth? Up to £30,000 per household, split into two pots of up to £15,000 each, one for energy performance measures like insulation and solar, and one for low carbon heat technologies like heat pumps.
Do I need to be on benefits to qualify? No. The main route is a household income threshold of £36,000 or less per year across all adults, with no benefit requirement, though postcode-based and low income proxy routes also exist.
Which properties are eligible? Privately owned homes in England, either owner-occupied or privately rented with landlord consent, with an EPC rating of D, E, F or G, as your main residence, in a participating council area.
How do I apply for the Warm Homes Local Grant? Through your local council rather than a national portal. Use the gov.uk postcode tool to find your authority. They typically respond within around 10 working days and arrange a home survey.
Can I combine this with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme? Yes. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme can fund a heat pump while the Warm Homes Local Grant's energy performance pot funds insulation and solar. No single measure can be double-funded, but different measures can draw on different schemes.
How long does the scheme run? To March 2028 on the current £500 million tranche, with further funding committed under the Warm Homes Plan to 2030. Council-level funding can run out sooner, so applying early matters.