The Warm Homes: Local Grant funds insulation, ventilation, solar, batteries and heat pumps for owner occupiers on a low income living in an EPC D to G home in England, from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028. In London it is run by Warmer Homes London, a GLA consortium of all 31 boroughs with £53.47m to spend. You apply to the council, the council surveys the home and the council's appointed contractor does the work. You cannot choose the installer.
Key takeaways
- For owner occupiers with a household income under £36,000, or on means-tested benefits, or in a deprived postcode area, whose home is EPC D to G.
- London delivery is through Warmer Homes London, the GLA consortium of 31 boroughs, with £53.47m of the £500m national fund.
- Up to £15,000 for energy performance measures and £15,000 for low carbon heat per home, raised to £16,600 each in July 2026 and averaged across the project.
- The council procures and manages the installers. A householder cannot nominate a firm.
- Private landlords can get 50% funding on a first rented property.
- Delivery closes on 31 March 2028. If you do not qualify, the support is 0% VAT to 31 March 2027 and the Warm Homes Fund loans expected in 2027.
Who qualifies for the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
Three tests, and you need to pass all three.
- Tenure. You own the home and live in it. Privately rented homes qualify with the landlord paying 50% on a first rented property. Social housing is only eligible as in-fill within a project, capped at 10% and with a 50% landlord contribution.
- EPC band. The home is rated D, E, F or G. An A to C home is not eligible whatever your income.
- Low income, by any one of three routes: household income under £36,000 a year; or someone in the household receives means-tested benefits; or the postcode is in one of the most deprived areas (the two lowest income deciles on the Index of Multiple Deprivation). Councils may also use proxies similar to the old ECO Flex Route 2 rules.
What is Warmer Homes London?
Nationally the grant is split between 271 councils in 74 projects. London chose to work as one: the 31 boroughs form a consortium led by the Greater London Authority under the name Warmer Homes London, with £53.47m for 2025 to 2028. Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire councils run their own projects, so a home in Dartford or Sevenoaks applies to Kent, not to London.
To apply, go to the GLA website at london.gov.uk and search "Warmer Homes London", or ask your borough's housing or energy team. The application asks for proof of tenure, income or benefits, and the EPC. If the home has no EPC, or an old one, the scheme will assess it.
What does the grant pay for?
The grant is measure led. A retrofit assessor surveys the home and a retrofit coordinator draws up a plan under PAS 2035:2023. The measures that can be funded include:
- Insulation: external and internal wall, loft, room in roof, floor and cavity wall.
- Ventilation: extractor fans, positive input ventilation and air bricks, which PAS 2035 requires alongside insulation.
- Solar PV and battery storage.
- Air source heat pumps and other low carbon heating.
- Other measures the assessment identifies, such as heating controls and draught proofing.
| Cost cap | Original | From July 2026 guidance | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy performance measures (insulation, ventilation, solar) | £15,000 per home | £16,600 per home | Averaged across the council's project, not fixed per house |
| Low carbon heat (heat pumps) | £15,000 per home | £16,600 per home | Averaged across the project |
| Council admin and ancillary costs | Up to 15% of project spend | Up to 15% of project spend | Covers assessment and coordination |
Because the cap is an average, a solid wall terrace that needs external wall insulation and a heat pump can receive more than £16,600 if other homes in the batch need less. It also means the council decides the package, not the householder. All work must be done by TrustMark registered installers certified to the latest PAS 2030, lodged with TrustMark, with a guarantee in place before work starts.
Can I choose my own installer?
No. The DESNZ guidance says councils "procure and manage their installer supply chain", individually or as a consortium. Warmer Homes London appoints contractors through public procurement, and those contractors carry out the surveys and the installs. A quote from a firm you have found yourself does not carry across, and a council will not pay a contractor it has not appointed.
Government has also set price limits for five measures, including external and internal wall insulation, which the appointed contractor works within. In practice that means the scheme delivers a standard specification at a controlled rate. That is not a criticism; it is how public money is spent. But it does mean you should not expect to pick materials, finishes or dates the way you would on a private job.
Stay Warm does not deliver Warm Homes: Local Grant work. If you qualify, apply to the council. If you would rather choose your own installer, timing and finish, the private route at 0% VAT is the alternative, and our own team installs to the same PAS 2030:2023 and TrustMark standard the scheme requires.
What about private landlords?
A private landlord can get 50% of the cost funded on a first rented property, where the tenant meets the low income test and the home is EPC D to G. The landlord pays the other half. With the private rented sector heading for an EPC C target by 2030 (check the current rules for the detail), that is a way to move a D or E property up a band at half price, though the council still picks the installer and the timing.
For landlords with more than one property, or a property with a tenant who does not qualify, the landlord EPC C packages page and the EPC C by 2030 guide set out the private options.
What if I do not qualify?
Most London homeowners do not. A household on £40,000 in a C rated home fails two of the three tests. What is left is still worth having.
- 0% VAT on insulation, draught proofing, solar, batteries and heat pumps until 31 March 2027, then 5%. See 0% VAT on energy-saving materials.
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme: £7,500 off a heat pump with no income test, applied for by the MCS installer. See heat pump grants 2026.
- Warm Homes Fund loans: roughly £5bn of low or zero interest loans for homeowners who do not qualify for grants, expected to open during 2027.
- A free heat loss survey, so whatever you spend goes on the measure that returns the most. Book a free heat loss survey.
When you ask us for a quote, tell us your EPC band, postcode and roughly where your income sits and we will say whether the council route looks worth a try. If it does, apply there first. If not, the insulation grants guide explains the private options measure by measure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income limit for the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
Household income under £36,000 a year. You can also qualify by receiving means-tested benefits or by living in a deprived postcode area. The home must be EPC D to G and owner occupied, or privately rented with the landlord paying 50%.
How do I apply in London?
Through Warmer Homes London, the GLA consortium of all 31 boroughs. Search "Warmer Homes London" on london.gov.uk or ask your borough. Homes in Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire apply to their own county or district council.
How much can I get?
Up to £15,000 for energy performance measures and £15,000 for low carbon heat per home, raised to £16,600 each in the July 2026 guidance. The caps are averaged across a council's project, so an individual home can receive more or less.
Can I use my own installer with the grant?
No. The council procures and manages its own installers and a householder cannot nominate a firm. Stay Warm does not deliver council grant work.
Does the grant cover solar panels and heat pumps?
Yes. Solar PV and battery storage count as energy performance measures, and air source heat pumps count as low carbon heat, each under its own cap. All must be installed by MCS certified installers appointed by the council.
When does the Warm Homes: Local Grant end?
Delivery closes on 31 March 2028. Councils deliver in batches, so apply early rather than in the final months.
I am a tenant in a council or housing association home. Can I apply?
Not directly. Social homes are only eligible as in-fill within a project, and the landlord contributes 50%. Social landlords have their own funding through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and the £58.7m devolved to London in July 2026. Ask your landlord.