The Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency (SWIGA) has published a feature detailing grant funding streams for solid wall insulation, following the commencement of Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) legislation. The agency said the feature covers all available funding streams in respect of solid wall insulation1.
"With ECO4 legislation now officially in place SWIGA have published a feature detailing all available grant funding streams in respect of solid wall insulation."
The ECO4 scheme runs from July 2022 to March 2026 and applies to properties with an energy performance certificate (EPC) of E, F or G. SWIGA states that 72 per cent of these are private low income households and 28 per cent social housing1. Eligibility for ECO4 funding is tied to qualifying benefits, which are set out separately1.
Other schemes listed by SWIGA include:
| Scheme | Timescale | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF wave 2) | Competition launches August 2022; bids by mid October 2022; successful projects notified February 2023; delivery to June 2025 | Social housing providers with EPC D, E, F, G properties |
| Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund (SHNZHF) | Opens February 2022, closes March 2024; installation required by March 2027 | Social housing providers with projects delivered in Scotland |
| Green Homes Grant: Local Authority Delivery (LAD3) and Homes Upgrade Grant (HUG), Sustainable Warmth Competition | Closes March 2023 | Private homeowners on low incomes (under £30k) or means tested benefits, in gas heated (LAD3) or off-gas heated (HUG) properties with EPC E, F, G |
| Home Energy Efficiency Programmes Area Based Scheme (HEEPS:ABS), Scotland only | 2013, close date to be confirmed | Based on property eligibility criteria; local authority in Scotland holds qualification criteria |
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) or Clean Heat Grant | 26 May 2022 to April 2025 | Homeowners in England and Wales, and small non-domestic properties, with a current EPC and no outstanding loft or cavity wall insulation recommendations; private landlords and second-home owners eligible |
| Warm Homes Discount Scheme | Winter 2021 to 2022 | People on a low income, in receipt of benefits or pension credit |
| Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) | April 2022, close date to be confirmed | Commercial landlords that rent, lease or manage residential properties |
| Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) | March 2022 to March 2025 | Public, private and third sector organisations in England |
The full details sit behind SWIGA's Knowledge Hub, which the agency says is available exclusively to members, with free associate membership for those involved in the management, specification or installation of retrofit works1. SWIGA credits Installation Services at e-on for providing the funding information1.
Why it matters for households
Solid wall insulation is one of the more expensive efficiency measures for a home, and the funding routes above differ sharply by tenure and nation. Private owners on low incomes with a poor EPC appear in the ECO4 and Sustainable Warmth streams, while social housing providers appear in the SHDF and SHNZHF streams. Households in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland face different routes again, and the insulation grants pages set out what applies where1.
For a home's energy independence, the practical effect is that the cost of cutting heat loss through solid walls may be partly covered, which reduces the energy needed to keep rooms warm. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme listing is notable because it excludes properties with outstanding loft or cavity wall insulation recommendations, tying heat pump funding to fabric work first1.
What happens next
The SHDF wave 2 competition launches in August 2022, with bids due by mid October 2022 and successful projects notified in February 20231. The Sustainable Warmth streams close in March 2023, and the SHNZHF closes in March 2024 with installation required by March 20271. Close dates for HEEPS:ABS and OZEV have not been reported1.