Home energy efficiency grants: The Snugg 2023 guide

To help cover some of the cost and encourage more people to make their homes more energy efficient, the UK Government - whose goal is to make energy bills more affordable and cut carbon emissions - offers a number of grants.

30/3/2023

Making your home energy efficient can reduce your heating bills, reduce your carbon emissions and even increase the value of your home.

But some efficiency improvements, such as solar panels and heat pumps, require you to spend a lot up-front before seeing a return on that investment in the coming years.

To help cover some of that cost and encourage more people to make their homes more energy efficient, the UK Government - whose goal is to make energy bills more affordable and cut carbon emissions - offers a number of grants. Grants can also be provided by energy providers and local authorities.

There are many types of grants, each with its own eligibility criteria. So it can be hard to find a grant that’s suitable for your specific circumstances.

In this guide, we cover:

What is a grant?
Why might you need a home energy efficiency grant?
What types of energy efficiency grants are there?
How can you tell if you’re eligible for a grant?
Where can you find home energy efficiency grants?
How do you apply for a grant?
Home energy efficiency grant FAQs

What is a grant?

A grant is a free financial contribution that you don’t have to pay back. It could be paid by the government, a local council or an energy provider depending on who runs the scheme.

Several different grant schemes have been set up to help fund the cost of home energy improvements in the UK. These grants are designed to help reduce energy bills, make homes more comfortable and lower carbon emissions.

Each grant scheme has its own unique set of eligibility criteria, meaning you can only apply for grants that you qualify for. Funding amounts can also vary depending on the specific grant scheme, with some covering the full cost of measures and others only partially.

Why might you need a home energy efficiency grant?

Making your home more energy-efficient can save you a lot of money in the long run. But some types of installation can have a high up-front cost. Heat pumps start at around £8,000, for example. It may then take several years to earn that money back. A grant can help reduce that up-front cost to a more affordable level and help your investment pay for itself sooner.

If you're struggling to afford to heat your home adequately, a home energy efficiency grant can also provide funding for energy-efficient measures that can help reduce your energy bills and make your home more comfortable to live in.

What types of grants are there?

Several grants are being offered for people living in the UK, including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and the upcoming ECO + scheme.

Each type of grant is different, supporting the funding of different benefits. Examples of some of the things grants can cover include:

Solar panels
Heat pumps
Cavity wall insulation
Solid wall insulation
Loft insulation
Electric storage heaters
Draughtproofing
Central heating systems
Heating system upgrades and repairs

Grants come and go frequently. So you may have heard of some older schemes that are no longer running, such as:

Local Authority Delivery Scheme (closed 31 March 2023)
Warmer Homes (closed 31 March 2023)
Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (closed 18 November 2022)

How can you tell if you’re eligible for a grant?

Every home energy efficiency grant is designed for people with different circumstances.

Some of the circumstances considered include:

Where you live
The type of home you live in
How much you earn
Whether you receive benefits
Your state of health

You can find out if you’re eligible to receive a grant by visiting the grant’s website. In some cases, the installer who’s fitting the installation can tell you when you ask for a quote.

Where can you find grants?

Unfortunately, there’s no central government website that displays all the grants currently available. Instead, each grant scheme has its own website. This can make it difficult to find out which grants you might be eligible for.

A simple way to find out which grants you’re eligible for is to sign up to Snugg. Once you’ve entered your address, and chosen the types of energy efficiency improvements you’re interested in, we’ll show you a list of grants that could be suitable for you.

You can learn more about the various schemes by visiting:

How do you apply for a grant?

The application process is different for each type of grant scheme.

You’ll need to apply for some grants using an online form. This may be either done directly through the grant scheme’s website, your local authority’s website or your energy company’s website, depending on who runs the scheme.

Other grants can be applied for on your behalf by the installer who’s fitting your energy efficiency installation. In this case, the value of the grant will be taken off the installer’s quoted price, so you’ll only need to pay the remaining amount.

Home energy efficiency grant FAQs

How much can you get from a grant?

The amount you could get will vary depending on the type of grant and your specific circumstances. You may qualify for the whole grant or part of the grant. Some schemes offer grants of up to £14,000.

When will a grant be paid?

If you qualify for a grant, you generally won’t receive a payment to your bank account. Instead, the value of the grant will be taken off the cost quoted to you by the installer who’s fitting your installation. So if the quote was for £10,000 and you qualified for a £4,000 grant, you’d pay £6,000.

Can you get a grant for solar panels?

There are currently grants that cover part of the cost of installing solar panels. You’ll need to meet the grant scheme’s eligibility criteria to get the grant.

Can you get a grant for heat pumps?

There are currently grants that cover part of the cost of installing certain types of heat pumps. You’ll need to meet the grant scheme’s eligibility criteria to get the grant.

Can you get a grant for loft insulation?

There are currently grants that cover part of the cost of installing loft insulation. You’ll need to meet the grant scheme’s eligibility criteria to get the grant.

Can you get a grant for cavity wall insulation?

There are currently grants that cover part of the cost of installing cavity wall insulation. You’ll need to meet the grant scheme’s eligibility criteria to get the grant.

Are there energy efficiency grants for Iow-income families?

Most grant schemes are targeted at those earning low incomes. Each has its own criteria, so the type of grant scheme and the amount you could receive will vary depending on your circumstances.