The government response to the consultation on the Great British Insulation Scheme was published in March 2023, according to Elmhurst Energy's record of the scheme's development1. The scheme had been consulted on under the name ECO+ before taking its current name1. It was launched to the public in September 2023, when Elmhurst records it as the "£1bn Great British Insulation Scheme"1.
The Great British Insulation Scheme obligates energy suppliers to help customers reduce heating bills through the installation of energy efficiency measures, with costs partially or fully subsidised depending on the measure and any property issues1. Elmhurst states the scheme is worth £1 billion and aims to provide 300,000 households with targeted energy efficiency upgrades, saving consumers an average of £300 to £400 a year on their bills1. It complements the ECO4 scheme, but where ECO4 takes a whole-house approach, the GBIS focuses on delivering single insulation measures1.
The measures covered are cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation (internal or external), loft insulation, flat or pitched roof insulation, underfloor insulation, solid floor insulation, park home insulation and room-in-roof insulation1. Eligible households may get support with one type of insulation, and in some cases secondary measures such as room thermostats may be available for households in the low-income group1. The suitable measure is decided through a retrofit assessment of the property, which Elmhurst describes as non-invasive, with no drilling or hammering into walls1.
Eligibility is split into two groups. The low-income group covers homeowners and tenants claiming one of a listed set of benefits, including Child Benefit, Pension Guarantee Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Tax Credits, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and Pension Credit Saving Credit1. The general group covers homeowners whose properties have an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D to G and fall within Council Tax bands A to D in England and A to E in Scotland and Wales1. Elmhurst notes that meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee that an energy supplier or installer will install a measure in a home1.
"September 2023: £1bn Great British Insulation Scheme Launched"
Why it matters for households
The scheme's structure determines which homes can be treated and how much of the work is paid for. Because it targets single measures rather than whole-house retrofit, a household's practical route into the scheme depends on which individual measure its property most needs, as identified in the retrofit assessment1. The Council Tax band and EPC conditions mean the general group is defined by the property rather than by benefit receipt, while the low-income group is defined by the benefits listed1. The £300 to £400 average annual saving figure is an average across the programme, not a prediction for any individual home1. The scheme applies across Great Britain, with different Council Tax band limits in Scotland and Wales than in England1; separate arrangements apply in Northern Ireland.
What happens next
Elmhurst's timeline records the government response in March 2023 and the public launch in September 20231. A government statistics release covering the scheme to January 2024 is listed among its further resources1. No further dated steps are given1.
Sources1 cited
- Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) Grants Available - Elmhurst Energy, elmhurstenergy.co.uk