Grants and Schemes News: page 4
- January 2026
Warm Homes Plan launched
The UK's Warm Homes Plan launched in January 2026 with £15 billion of public investment, covering grants, loans and supplier-funded schemes to upgrade homes across the UK.
BUS to include air-to-air heat pumps by early 2026
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme will pay £2,500 towards air-to-air heat pumps in domestic properties from early 2026, with heat batteries added later and the scheme extended to 2030.
Debt Relief Scheme to launch in early 2026
Ofgem has set the energy price cap for 1 January to 31 March 2026 and confirmed a Debt Relief Scheme for around 195,000 people on means-tested benefits will launch in early 2026.
ECO4 end date extended to 31 December 2026 with no additional funding
The Warm Homes Plan confirms ECO4 will run until 31 December 2026 rather than ending on 31 March, with no additional funding attached to the extension.
Funding confirmed to 2029/30 through the Warm Homes Plan
Government statistics confirm Boiler Upgrade Scheme funding runs to 2029/30 under the Warm Homes Plan, with £400 million allocated for 2026/27 and over £560 million paid out in the first four years.
Government consultation on continuing the Warm Home Discount concluded
A government consultation on continuing the Warm Home Discount has concluded, with changes to the scheme made in response from April 2026 onwards.
Government publishes Warm Homes Plan covering off-gas-grid homes
The January 2026 Warm Homes Plan set out its approach to homes off the gas grid under a rural communities heading, with Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants at the centre of the discussion.
- December 2025
Boiler Upgrade Scheme closes to applicants
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme closed to new applicants in England and Wales on 31 December 2025, ending a grant worth up to £7,500 towards a heat pump.
NGN reports Centres for Warmth supporting thousands across the North of England this winter
Northern Gas Networks has marked a second winter of its Centres for Warmth programme, saying 20 funded community hubs have given thousands of people across the North of England warm space and energy advice.
Committee on Fuel Poverty response to Warm Home Discount consultation published
The Committee on Fuel Poverty has published its response to the government consultation on continuing the Warm Home Discount Scheme, covering England, Scotland and Wales.
Consultation on moving Warm Home Discount cost recovery to the unit rate opens
The government has opened a consultation on moving recovery of Warm Home Discount costs, £39 on a typical dual fuel bill, from the standing charge to the unit rate from April 2026.
Cumberland Council reports Warm Homes initiative savings and scheme dates
Cumberland Council reports 589 households approved for free energy-saving home improvements under ECO4 Flex between August 2024 and October 2025, with 387 homes upgraded and average annual bill savings of £1,516.
ECO4 cost recovery consultation launched
The government has opened a consultation on amending the ECO4 Order so that public grant funding can pay energy suppliers for the scheme, running until 5 January 2026.
ECO4 Delivery Guidance version 3.2 published
Ofgem published version 3.2 of its ECO4 delivery guidance on 8 December 2025, clarifying when non-compliant measures are rejected and how rural areas are defined in Scotland.
Four more EV models qualify for maximum £3,750 Electric Car Grant discount
Four more electric car models now qualify for the maximum £3,750 Electric Car Grant discount, doubling the number of vehicles in the top band to eight.
North East Mayor launches free energy advice service for the region
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has launched North East Warm Homes, a free energy advice service funded by the North East Combined Authority as part of a £4m initiative.
Welsh Government committed £1.5 million to warm hubs
The Welsh Government has committed £1.5 million in its 2025 to 2026 budget to support more than 400 warm hubs across Wales, building on £4 million of investment since 2022.
Winter Heating Payment payments begin from December 2025
Social Security Scotland is to begin making Winter Heating Payments of £59.75 for winter 2025/26 from December 2025, with most payments made automatically to eligible households in Scotland.
- November 2025
Autumn Budget announces ECO4 will end on 31 March 2026
The Autumn Budget confirmed that the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) will close on 31 March 2026, while the Boiler Upgrade Scheme was left untouched despite speculation about cuts.
Chancellor delivers second Budget with mixed picture for built environment
The Chancellor's 26 November Budget confirms the Energy Company Obligation will end in April 2026, adds £1.5 billion to the Warm Homes Plan and shifts 75% of legacy Renewables Obligation costs off electricity bills.
Electric Car Grant extended to 2029-30
The autumn budget extended the Electric Car Grant to 2029-30 and added £1.3bn of funding, while confirming a pay-per-mile charge for electric vehicles from April 2028.
Government expands Boiler Upgrade Scheme to air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has extended the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to cover air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries, with £2,500 grants for each in England and Wales.
Consumer Scotland responds to WHD continuation consultation
Consumer Scotland has told the UK government it supports continuing the Warm Home Discount beyond March 2026 but wants automatic data matching, earlier payments and a centralised helpline in Scotland.
Energy Systems Catapult publishes report on next generation of warm home schemes
Energy Systems Catapult has published a report calling for the next generation of warm home schemes to be consumer-centred, delivered through area-based partnerships and focused on health outcomes.
Consultation on continuing the Warm Home Discount Scheme closed
The government has confirmed the Warm Home Discount will run for a further five years to 2030/31, after a consultation that closed on 20 November 2025 drew 93 responses.
Energy UK publishes response to DESNZ consultation on continuing the Warm Home Discount
Energy UK has told the government that the Warm Home Discount should run for five more years, grow to at least £1.5 billion and be paid for from taxation rather than energy bills.
Trust publishes WHD consultation response
The British Gas Energy Trust has published its response to the consultation on continuing the Warm Home Discount, backing the scheme but calling for a larger rebate and multi-year funding.
DESNZ consulted on Boiler Upgrade Scheme changes and published government response
The government has published its response to a consultation on the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, setting out changes that include new grants for air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries.
Government response to Part 1 of the consultation published
The government has published its response to Part 1 of its Boiler Upgrade Scheme consultation, confirming £2,500 grants for air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries among a set of eligibility changes.
Ofgem publishes detailed proposals for the Debt Relief Scheme
Ofgem has set out detailed proposals for a one-time Debt Relief Scheme to write off energy debt built up during the crisis, with phase one expected to support up to 200,000 households.