Warmer Homes London was officially launched by the Mayor in partnership with London Councils on 7 February 20251. The programme delivers the government's Warm Homes: Local Grant across the capital, with the stated aim of reducing fuel poverty and supporting Londoners through the transition to net zero1.
The grant provides free or subsidised home improvements for eligible households, including insulation upgrades, heat-pump installations, solar panels, and ventilation and damp-prevention measures1. The Warm Homes: Local Grant is being delivered across London on behalf of 31 local authorities working together as a consortium, with total funding shared between them based on the number of homes in fuel poverty in each area1.
"we're looking to improve energy efficiency in thousands of homes across 31 boroughs"
Eligibility rules are set out by the scheme. A home must be in England, privately owned either by the occupant or a landlord, and have an Energy Performance Certificate of D to G1. Household savings must be less than £25,000, and household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less; applicants earning more may still qualify if they live in a certain postcode area or someone in the household receives certain benefits1. Supported home types include houses, flats, park homes, and houses in multiple occupation with separate kitchens1. Landlords can apply for multiple eligible homes but get full funding for only one, and must pay half the upgrade costs for any further eligible homes; tenants should not pay for upgrade costs1.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | England1 |
| Ownership | Privately owned, by occupant or landlord1 |
| EPC rating | D to G1 |
| Household savings | Less than £25,0001 |
| Household income | Usually £36,000 a year or less, with exceptions1 |
City Hall has issued a scam warning alongside the launch. It says neither the Greater London Authority nor its delivery partner will ever ask residents to pay a fee to confirm eligibility or to pay for installation of measures such as solar panels, and that it is aware of individuals in London asking residents for £300 to £1,500 while claiming they can ensure an application succeeds or arrange solar panel installation1. The scheme states it is free to eligible applicants and that no application fee or other costs should be requested at any stage1. Suspected fraud should be reported to the local authority trading standards service1. More on this is covered in our page on energy grant scams.
Why it matters for households
For a household in a hard-to-heat London home, the grant covers measures that cut the cost of keeping warm and can reduce reliance on imported gas for heating, particularly where a heat pump and solar panels are installed1. The scheme is means-tested and capped by property type and EPC rating, so not every home qualifies. Because funding is allocated per borough and applications are queued locally, a household's chances depend on where it lives as well as on its circumstances1.
What happens next
In Years Two and Three, applications are managed on a first come, first served basis within each local authority rather than across London as a whole1. Each authority has a queue limit set at up to 250 per cent of its allocated funding, to allow for applications that do not go ahead or are found ineligible; once a queue is full, further applications from that area go on a waiting list, and being in the queue does not guarantee funding1. City Hall also reports high demand and longer waits between submission and next steps, including confirming eligibility and installing upgrades1. Applications are made through the government's online eligibility form1. Households whose EPC has expired can seek limited help with the cost of a new certificate from SHINE London, which requires ownership and occupation of the home plus an income under £31,000, a means-tested benefit, or spending more than 10 per cent of household income on gas, electricity or heating1.
Sources1 cited
- Warm Homes: Local Grant | London City Hall, london.gov.uk