The two supplier funded insulation schemes are finishing: the Great British Insulation Scheme closed on 31 March 2026 and ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026 with no successor. What is left in England is the Warm Homes: Local Grant, run by councils until 31 March 2028 for owner occupiers on a low income in EPC D to G homes, and 0% VAT on insulation for everyone until 31 March 2027. Stay Warm does not deliver council grant work, but we can tell you honestly whether you look eligible for it before you pay for a private install.
Key takeaways
- GBIS closed on 31 March 2026. ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026 and there is no ECO5.
- The Warm Homes: Local Grant runs from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028 and is applied for through your council (Warmer Homes London in the capital).
- To qualify you must own and live in an EPC D to G home and have a household income under £36,000, be on means-tested benefits, or live in a deprived postcode area.
- The council appoints the installer. You cannot choose a firm and ask the council to pay them.
- Every household gets 0% VAT on insulation until 31 March 2027, then 5%.
- Stay Warm installs privately to the same PAS 2030:2023 and TrustMark standard the grant schemes require, with a 10-year manufacturer warranty and 25-year insurance backed guarantee.
Which insulation grants are still open in 2026?
Most of the pages still ranking for "insulation grants" describe schemes that have closed or are closing. This is the position in September 2026 for England.
| Scheme | Status | Dates | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) | Closed | Closed 31 March 2026 | Was paid for by energy suppliers; not extended |
| ECO4 | Closing | Ends 31 December 2026, no successor | Low income households, funded by energy suppliers |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) | Open | 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028 | Low income owner occupiers in EPC D to G homes; landlords at 50% on a first rented property |
| Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund | Open | 2025 to 2028 | Councils and housing associations, for their tenants |
| Warm Homes Fund (loans) | Planned | Expected to open during 2027 | Homeowners who do not qualify for grants; low or zero interest loans |
| 0% VAT on insulation | Open | Until 31 March 2027, then 5% | Every household, no eligibility test |
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme | Open | Funded to 2029/30 | Heat pumps only, not insulation; see the heat pump grants guide |
From 2027, almost all grant funded insulation work in England is bought by councils and social landlords rather than by householders. That changes how you get it, which is the subject of the next section.
How does the Warm Homes: Local Grant work?
The Warm Homes: Local Grant is the government's main insulation grant for private homes to 2028. It is not applied for through an installer or an energy supplier. Councils hold the money and run the projects; in London the 31 boroughs work together as Warmer Homes London, a GLA consortium, while Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire councils run their own.
Who qualifies
- You own the home and live in it (private landlords can get 50% funding on a first rented property).
- The home has an EPC of D, E, F or G.
- Low income by one of three routes: household income under £36,000, or someone in the home receives means-tested benefits, or the postcode is in a deprived area.
What it funds
Insulation (wall, loft, floor), ventilation, solar PV and battery, heat pumps and other measures, up to £15,000 for energy performance measures and £15,000 for low carbon heat per home. The July 2026 guidance raised both caps to £16,600, averaged across a council's project rather than fixed per house. All work must be delivered to PAS 2035:2023 by TrustMark registered installers certified to the latest PAS 2030, and lodged with TrustMark.
The London detail, including how to apply through Warmer Homes London, is in Warm Homes: Local Grant in London.
Can I still get ECO4 or GBIS insulation?
GBIS is closed. It ended on 31 March 2026 and was not extended. ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026, and there is no ECO5 behind it. Both schemes were paid for by energy suppliers rather than by government, and that funding model is finished.
If a company is still marketing "ECO4 funded" insulation in autumn 2026, ask how a job surveyed now will be installed, lodged and paid for before the year end. Anything that slips into 2027 has no scheme to fall back on. We would rather tell you the scheme is ending than sign you up to one that cannot pay.
The support everyone gets: 0% VAT
Insulation of walls, floors, ceilings, roofs and lofts, plus draught stripping, is 0% VAT when installed in a home, under HMRC VAT Notice 708/6. That applies to every household with no income or EPC test. The rate runs to 31 March 2027 and is then due to become 5%.
On our own price ranges that is worth a lot. External wall insulation on a 3 bed semi is typically £12,000 to £22,000; at the standard 20% rate that would be £2,400 to £4,400 more. Internal wall insulation for a full 3 bed at £8,000 to £15,000 would carry £1,600 to £3,000 of VAT. Even a loft top-up at £400 to £900 saves £80 to £180. The 0% VAT guide lists every measure and rate.
What Stay Warm can and cannot do
We do not deliver council grant work and we cannot apply for a grant on your behalf. What we do is install privately, to the same standard the grant schemes demand. Our own team installs external wall, internal wall, loft and floor insulation, certified to PAS 2030:2023 and TrustMark registered (2259022), with projects delivered under PAS 2035 by our own retrofit coordinator and assessor. Every install comes with a 10-year manufacturer warranty and a 25-year insurance backed guarantee, and a Building Regulations certificate at no cost. We have completed over 500 installations and are rated 9.87/10 on Checkatrade from 122 reviews.
If you tell us your EPC band, your postcode and roughly where your household income sits when you ask for a quote, we will say honestly whether the council route looks worth applying for. Some people find they qualify and go to their council; most find they do not, and then the question is which measure gives the best return at 0% VAT. A free heat loss survey answers that.
- Check your EPC band on the government register. D to G is the first test for the council grant.
- If you look eligible, apply to your council or Warmer Homes London. Expect a wait; councils deliver in batches.
- If you do not qualify, or cannot wait, get a free quote. The 0% VAT rate ends on 31 March 2027.
- Watch for the Warm Homes Fund loans in 2027 if the upfront cost is the barrier.
Frequently asked questions
Is there free insulation in 2026?
Only through the Warm Homes: Local Grant, for owner occupiers on a low income in an EPC D to G home, applied for through your council or Warmer Homes London. The council chooses the installer. GBIS closed on 31 March 2026 and ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026.
Has ECO4 ended?
It ends on 31 December 2026 and there is no successor scheme. Any ECO4 job must be installed and lodged before then.
Can I use Stay Warm for a Warm Homes: Local Grant job?
No. Councils procure their own installers and a householder cannot nominate a firm. We install privately to the same PAS 2030:2023 and TrustMark standard, and we can tell you whether you look eligible for the council route before you decide.
What is the income limit for the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
Household income under £36,000, or someone in the home on means-tested benefits, or a home in a deprived postcode area. The home must also be EPC D to G and owner occupied, or privately rented with the landlord paying 50%.
How much does the Warm Homes: Local Grant pay?
Up to £15,000 for energy performance measures such as insulation and £15,000 for low carbon heat per home, raised to £16,600 each in the July 2026 guidance and averaged across a council's project.
Do I pay VAT on insulation?
Not until 31 March 2027. Wall, loft, roof and floor insulation and draught stripping are 0% VAT when installed in a home. From April 2027 the rate is due to become 5%.
Are there grants for landlords?
Private landlords can get 50% of the cost through the Warm Homes: Local Grant on a first rented property, where the tenant is low income and the home is EPC D to G. Landlords also get 0% VAT. See the EPC C by 2030 guide for landlords.