Two government schemes intended to improve the energy efficiency of homes across Great Britain opened for applications on 14 September 2023, with a new eligibility checker tool to establish who qualifies1.
The Great British Insulation Scheme offers roof, loft or cavity wall insulation. Qualifying properties must have an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D or below and sit in council tax bands A to D in England, or A to E in Scotland and Wales1. The Home Upgrade Grant covers off-the-gas-grid homes with an EPC rating of D to G, meaning properties that do not rely on a gas boiler and use an alternative fuel instead1. Support under HUG can range from insulation and draught proofing to new windows and doors, alongside larger installations such as heat pumps and solar panels1.
The government expects around 300,000 homes to be eligible for GBIS and around 25,000 for HUG1. The checker asks questions including how a home is heated, whether its walls are solid or cavity, and whether the household receives any benefits. After using the tool, householders are referred to their energy supplier for GBIS or to their local council for HUG1. Which? reports that qualifying households are expected to cut their annual energy bill by an average of £300 to £400 once installation is complete1.
The scheme extends the existing Energy Company Obligation, which offers free energy efficiency improvements, including insulation, heat pumps and solar panels, to families on low incomes1. Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said:
"Boosting the energy efficiency of homes creates the best long-term protection against fuel poverty for the most vulnerable. That's why we are helping families across the country with extra support to make their homes warmer, while saving hundreds on energy costs."
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said the support was "a step in the right direction" and that the government should drive awareness of it and ensure eligible households can get insulation installed as soon as possible. She added that information and advice for all households should improve, including on how consumers can protect themselves from fraudsters and rogue traders who might take advantage of the scheme1.
| Scheme | Eligibility | Expected eligible homes |
|---|---|---|
| Great British Insulation Scheme | EPC D or below; council tax band A-D in England, A-E in Scotland and Wales | Around 300,000 |
| Home Upgrade Grant | Off the gas grid; EPC D to G | Around 25,000 |
Why it matters for households
Insulation limits heat escaping from a home, so a property can be kept warm using less energy1. Which? notes that good insulation is essential for homes using low-carbon heating such as heat pumps, and will become more important as more households move away from gas boilers1. For a household, the practical effect is a smaller volume of purchased energy needed to hold a given temperature, which is the basis of energy independence at the level of an individual home. The £300 to £400 average annual saving cited is an expectation for qualifying households once work is finished, not a guaranteed figure, and it depends on the property and the measures installed1.
The two schemes split by heating fuel and by EPC band, so a home's existing certificate rating and its council tax band determine which route applies. Households off the gas grid fall under HUG rather than GBIS, and the referral destination differs accordingly: supplier for GBIS, local council for HUG1. Which? reports that very few households have been making insulation improvements, with affordability a key concern1.
What happens next
Applications are open now through the government eligibility checker, which routes GBIS applicants to their energy supplier and HUG applicants to their local council1. No completion dates, installation timescales or funding totals for either scheme are given in the reported material.