Grants and Schemes News: page 15
- October 2023
Great British Insulation Scheme launched
The UK Government expanded the ECO scheme to include the Great British Insulation Scheme in October 2023, with 2,723 Scottish households recorded as having benefited by February 2025.
Warm Homes Discount Scheme reopens
The Warm Home Discount reopens in October 2023, with eligibility checks available from that month and payments made automatically to eligible households.
- September 2023
British Gas reopens Energy Support Fund for new applications
British Gas has reopened its Energy Support Fund for new applications from 2 October 2023, offering grants of up to £1,500 within a £100 million support package.
Coalition of over 130 organisations calls for an energy social tariff
More than 130 organisations have written to the Prime Minister calling for a social tariff, as the Energy Price Guarantee is set to end in 2024 and no consultation has been published.
ECO4 innovation measure 022 approved
Ofgem approved UKSOL monocrystalline solar panels with built-in Tigo optimisers as ECO4 innovation measure 022 on 26 September 2023, with a 45% uplift and EDF Energy as awarded supplier.
DESNZ issues change notice to increase BUS grant levels
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero issued a change notice on 21 September 2023 raising Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants for air and ground source heat pumps to £7,500 from 23 October 2023.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme heat pump grants increased by 50%
Grants for heat pumps under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme rose by 50% from 23 October 2023, taking the air source and ground source rate to £7,500, with applications rising sharply afterwards.
GBIS and HUG schemes open for applications with new eligibility checker
The Great British Insulation Scheme and Home Upgrade Grant opened for applications on 14 September 2023, with a government eligibility checker directing households to their supplier or council.
Great British Insulation Scheme opens
The government opened its £1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme on 14 September 2023, with an online eligibility checker and a phone line for households in lower council tax bands.
Separate Home Upgrade Grant checker launched
A separate online checker for the Home Upgrade Grant was launched on 14 September 2023, alongside the Great British Insulation Scheme, for off-gas-grid homes rated EPC D to G.
Consultation on SAP and RdSAP amendments for ECO schemes closed
The National Insulation Association has published its response to a closed government consultation on changing the energy rating method used for ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme.
NEA tells MPs over a million vulnerable households missed energy crisis support
National Energy Action told MPs that more than a million vulnerable households missed energy crisis support last winter, with £444 million of earmarked funding left unspent by the energy department.
Voucher issue and redemption details added
Government guidance for continuous cruisers was updated on 6 September 2023 with details of when £600 energy bill support vouchers would be issued and how they could be redeemed.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme heat pump grant increased to £7,500
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for heat pumps rose from £5,000 to £7,500 in September 2023, but the scheme's budget was not increased, so it will serve fewer homes.
UK government launches new insulation funding for up to 300,000 households
The UK government launched funding for up to 300,000 eligible households to install insulation, as Which? research found few homeowners are looking into insulation despite concern about energy bills.
Great British Insulation scheme formally launched
The government has formally launched the Great British Insulation Scheme, extending support for loft and cavity wall insulation to households in council tax bands A to D.
Great British Insulation Scheme launched, formerly known as ECO+
The Great British Insulation Scheme, formerly ECO+, has launched across England, Scotland and Wales, administered by Ofgem and running to March 2026, with average annual bill savings of £400.
Local Authority Delivery scheme closes
The Local Authority Delivery scheme, which funded energy efficiency upgrades for low-income households in England, closed in September 2023 after opening in August 2020.
- August 2023
Consultation on proposed amendments to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme Regulations opened
The government opened a consultation on 31 August 2023 on amending the Boiler Upgrade Scheme Regulations, covering grant levels, EPC requirements and biomass boilers with a cooking function.
Ofgem publishes GBIS Delivery Guidance V1.0
Ofgem published delivery guidance for the Great British Insulation Scheme on 31 August 2023, setting out how suppliers must meet insulation targets running to 31 March 2026.
Warm Homes Network fuel poverty scheme launched
Cadent and partners have launched the Warm Homes Network, a fuel poverty pilot starting in Birmingham in August 2023, with a Cumbria pilot in October and GB-wide roll out expected in 2024.
Citizens Advice publishes Winter Warning report calling for targeted energy bill support
Citizens Advice has published a Winter Warning report arguing that millions of households face a winter as bad as or worse than last year and calling for targeted energy bill support.
Citizens Advice warns of record energy debt help requests before winter
Citizens Advice reports record demand for energy debt help before winter, with 7.8 million people borrowing to pay energy bills in the first half of 2023 and a forecast 26% rise in debt cases by year end.
Ofgem publishes decision on Great British Insulation Scheme and ECO4 amendment administration
Ofgem has published its final decision on how the Great British Insulation Scheme and changes to ECO4 will be administered, after a consultation that drew 17 responses.
ECO4 Delivery Guidance version 2.0 published
Ofgem published version 2.0 of its ECO4 Delivery Guidance on 14 August 2023, reflecting legislative changes that took effect the same day for measures installed under the scheme.
ECO4 legislative amendments changed ESH and EHS classification
Ofgem's ECO4 guidance records that from 14 August 2023 electric storage heaters and Electric Heating Systems count as renewable heating systems in homes with solar PV.
Government launches 36 pilot energy advice services backed by £20 million
The government has launched 36 pilot energy advice services backed by £20 million, trialling in-person efficiency advice for more than 125,000 households across England.
E3G publishes report on supporting warmer homes for rural communities
E3G research published on 9 August 2023 sets out the higher fuel poverty gap faced by rural off-gas-grid households in England and recommends a rural uplift to two government heating schemes.
ECO4 Measures Table version 2.0 published
Ofgem published version 2.0 of the ECO4 measures table on 9 August 2023, recording the first set of legislative amendments to the scheme, which took effect from 14 August 2023.
Nesta publishes conclusion of European heat pump uptake comparison
Nesta's European heat pump comparison, published on 8 August 2023, concludes that air-to-air heat pumps dominate uptake across Europe while the Boiler Upgrade Scheme funds only air-to-water and ground-source models.