A separate online eligibility checker for the Home Upgrade Grant was launched on 14 September 2023, the same day the government announced that the Great British Insulation Scheme was "open for business"1. The Home Upgrade Grant checker could help as many as 25,000 off-the-gas-grid homes with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D to G1. One industry body put the figure at up to 25,000 homes in England that are off the gas grid and rated EPC D to G2.
The Home Upgrade Grant covers measures ranging from insulation and draught proofing to new windows and doors, as well as heat pumps and solar panels1. Under the grant, improvement measures such as loft insulation, air source heat pumps and electric radiators are funded by local councils2. Households using the online tools are then referred either to their energy supplier, for support from the Energy Company Obligation programme and the Great British Insulation Scheme, or to their local council for the Home Upgrade Grant1.
The Great British Insulation Scheme is a £1 billion drive to help those most in need heat their home for less1. It is set to fund energy efficiency improvements for 300,000 households2, offered upgrades such as roof, loft or cavity wall insulation, which could cut annual energy bills by an average of between £300 and £4001. Eligibility covers families in council tax bands A to D in England and A to E in Scotland and Wales, with an EPC rating of D or below1. One body adds that eligible households include homeowners, landlords or tenants, whether renting privately or from a social housing provider2. The scheme, previously known as ECO+, was announced last November and is administered by Ofgem, as ECO is2. All measures must be delivered in accordance with PAS 2035, and there is no requirement to improve properties by a certain number of EPC bands2.
"A separate checker has also been launched for the Home Upgrade Grant, which could help as many as 25,000 off-the-gas-grid homes that have an EPC rating of D to G."
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Home Upgrade Grant checker launch | 14 September 20231 |
| Homes it could help | Up to 25,000 off-gas-grid homes, EPC D to G1 |
| Measures | Insulation, draught proofing, windows and doors, heat pumps, solar panels1; loft insulation, air source heat pumps, electric radiators funded by local councils2 |
| Great British Insulation Scheme value | £1 billion1 |
| Households funded | 300,0001 |
| Bill reduction | £300 to £400 a year on average1 |
| GBIS eligibility | Council tax A to D in England, A to E in Scotland and Wales, EPC D or below1 |
Why it matters for households
For a home off the gas grid, heating usually means delivered fuels or electricity rather than a mains gas connection, and the Home Upgrade Grant is the route aimed specifically at that group. The measures listed for it go beyond insulation to include heat pumps and solar panels, which change how a property is heated and powered rather than only how much heat it loses1. The grant sits alongside ECO and the Great British Insulation Scheme, so a household may be pointed to a supplier or to a council depending on which scheme fits1. The government said that in 2010 just 14 per cent of homes had an EPC rating of C or above, compared with 47 per cent in 2022, and that 2.4 million homes have so far benefited from energy efficiency measures under existing schemes1. For a household, the practical effect is that the first step is establishing eligibility, and the checker is the tool for that. The wider context is set out in Grants, Schemes and Household Energy Independence, with the comparison between the two main insulation and heating routes covered in ECO4 vs the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2).
What happens next
Households using the online tools are referred to their energy supplier or their local council to take the next step1. No further dates for the Home Upgrade Grant were reported. Customers can call 0800 098 7950 for support with the Great British Insulation Scheme checker1.