The government has said it plans to launch a self-referral service in summer 2023 as part of GOV.UK, to help households learn about and access the Great British Insulation Scheme1. The commitment appears in the government response to its consultation on the scheme, published in March 2023, which also confirms the scheme's renaming from ECO+1.
The Great British Insulation Scheme is described as running from 2023 to 2026 and applying in England, Scotland and Wales1. The government estimates it will make around 300,000 homes more energy efficient, primarily through insulation measures such as cavity wall insulation, and that households receiving insulation upgrades will see bills reduce by around £300 to £400 on average per year1. A minimum of 20% of the support provided through the scheme will go towards low-income and vulnerable households1.
"To help households to learn about and access the Scheme, we plan to launch a self-referral service in summer 2023 as part of GOV.UK."
Eligibility is split into two groups. The general group covers homes with an EPC rating of D to G within Council Tax bands A to D in England and A to E in Scotland and Wales1. The low-income group covers homes with an EPC rating of D to G and broadly mirrors the household eligibility requirements of ECO4, being on means-tested benefits or living in the least efficient social housing1. At least 20% of each supplier's annual phase target must be delivered to households in the low-income group1.
| Nation | General group Council Tax bands |
|---|---|
| England | A to D |
| Scotland | A to E |
| Wales | A to E |
Wales was expanded from bands A to C as consulted on, which the government said better aligns the proportion of eligible homes in each nation1. In Scotland and Wales, low-income off-gas households in rural areas will receive a 20% uplift to the score given to each measure1. In England, the government said the Home Upgrade Grant will support low-income off-gas households and has ringfenced 60% of funding for rural local authorities2.
The scheme will focus solely on insulation and heating control measures, with no requirement to improve properties by a certain number of EPC bands2. Each household in the general group will only be able to receive one measure, while owner-occupied households in the low-income group are eligible for heating controls in addition to an insulation measure2. All measures must be delivered in accordance with PAS 20352. The government assumes households in the general group will collectively contribute £80 million towards insulation measures, equivalent to 10% of the £800 million scheme budget earmarked for that group2.
Why it matters for households
For a household in an older, poorly insulated home, the scheme is a route to a measure that reduces heat loss, and the government's own estimate puts the average bill reduction at around £300 to £400 a year1. The self-referral service matters because it is the intended front door: a single GOV.UK facility through which households can find out about the scheme and other complementary energy schemes1. Until it launches, the government response does not describe how households apply directly.
The scheme's design also shapes what a home can get. The general group is limited to one measure per household, so a home needing both loft and cavity wall insulation would not receive both through this route2. The eligibility rules tie support to Council Tax band and EPC rating, which means a home's band and its energy performance certificate both determine whether it qualifies1. For a household weighing this against other support, the comparison with ECO4 sets out how the low-income group mirrors ECO4's requirements1.
Insulation reduces the energy a home needs to stay warm, which is the part of household energy use least exposed to wholesale price movements once the work is done. The government frames the scheme as part of its ambition to reduce total UK energy demand by 15% from 2021 levels by 20301.
What happens next
The government said it will lay affirmative regulations in Parliament, which it expected to come into force later this year, and that the policy described is subject to Parliamentary approval of those regulations1. Ofgem, as scheme administrator, will publish separate guidance for local authorities, the devolved administrations and suppliers1. The government said it would publish the Final Impact Assessment for the scheme in spring 20231. The self-referral service is planned for summer 20231.