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UK Government Scheme · Energy supplier funded

Great British Insulation Scheme 2026

This scheme funded free or heavily subsidised insulation for homes in lower council tax bands. It is now closed.

Last checked: August 2026

InstantCost is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting on behalf of HM Government, Ofgem or DESNZ. Final eligibility is decided by a registered installer or your local authority.

Closed — 31 March 2026

The Great British Insulation Scheme stopped taking new applications on 31 March 2026 and was not extended. Nothing you submit now will be funded under it. The alternatives below are still open.

Overview

The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) was funded by the UK's largest energy suppliers under an obligation set by government and regulated by Ofgem. It paid for one high-impact insulation measure per home — usually loft or cavity wall.

Households that got it typically save £200 to £400 a year. Work approved before 31 March 2026 is still being completed, but no new applications are accepted.

Alternatives still open

Free Boiler Grant (ECO4)

Free boiler, insulation and heating controls if you're on a qualifying benefit or a low income. Open until 31 December 2026.

Check eligibility

Warm Homes Plan

Council-run insulation and low-carbon heating funding, and the main route for low-income households from 2027.

Check eligibility

Who it was for

EPC rating

Property rated D, E, F or G on a current Energy Performance Certificate.

Council tax band

Bands A–D in England, A–E in Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland is not covered.

Household

Open to owner-occupiers and private tenants. Low-income households on qualifying benefits receive full funding.

If your application was already approved

  1. Approvals granted before 31 March 2026 are still being delivered.
  2. Your TrustMark-registered installer surveys the home and books the work.
  3. The measure is signed off under PAS 2035 as usual.
  4. If you never got a survey date, chase the energy supplier that approved you.
Official gov.uk: apply for the Great British Insulation Scheme

Frequently asked questions

No. The scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2026 and was not extended. This page is kept for reference. If you need help with insulation now, look at ECO4 (free boiler and insulation, open until 31 December 2026) or the Warm Homes Plan through your council.

An energy-supplier funded scheme (formerly ECO+) that paid for a single insulation measure — usually loft or cavity wall insulation — in less efficient UK homes, cutting heating bills by up to around £400 a year.

Your home had to have an EPC rating of D or below and be in council tax band A–D in England, or A–E in Scotland and Wales. Low-income households on qualifying benefits get the broadest support, but the general group is open to most households in those bands.

Low-income and benefit-receiving households usually get it fully funded. Households qualifying under the general group typically receive a substantial subsidy and pay a contribution towards the balance.

Loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation (internal or external), room-in-roof, underfloor, flat roof, park home and pitched roof insulation. Most homes receive one measure.

No new applications are accepted after 31 March 2026. Work already approved before that date continues under a TrustMark-registered installer. For new help, apply for ECO4 or contact your council about the Warm Homes Local Grant.