Can I get free loft insulation?

Having good insulation in your home is essential. Without it, a significant amount of heat can be lost through the walls, floors and roof meaning you could be wasting energy and therefore paying more than you should be for gas or electricity. However, with sufficient loft insulation (you can work out how much loft insulation you need here), cavity wall insulation and even floor insulation, you could see an increase in the efficiency of your home and a reduction in your monthly bills.

So with all of this in mind, what grants are still available to discount the cost of insulation or even make it cost nothing at all?

Can you get free loft insulation?

In the UK, we have a history of providing government grants that can help us out with the cost of our utilities. However, these grants come and go. For instance, until its closure in 2022, the Renewable Heat Incentive rewarded people who made use of renewable technology to heat their home, using things such as heat pump systems. 

While the Renewable Heat Incentive is no longer open to applications,, there are other grants available that could help you cover the cost of home insulation. Below we take a look at these grants. 

Energy Company Obligation (ECO)

The first is the ECO scheme. This is something that the government has put in place to check that energy companies are doing all they can to make sure people’s homes are efficient and that they’re not wasting too much energy. Under the ECO scheme, large energy providers should offer grants to improve the energy efficiency of households that are low performing or to families who are on a low income. 

To date, the scheme has undergone four phases - ECO1, ECO2, ECO3, and ECO4. ECO3 concluded on March 31, 2022, and the ECO4 Order became effective in July 2022. ECO4 is applicable to installations made from April 1, 2022, and will be in effect for four years, concluding on March 31, 2026.

To qualify for free loft insulation under the ECO4 scheme, homeowners must fall under low-income status, which means a household with an annual income of £31,000 or less. Alternatively, you may also qualify if someone in your household receives certain benefits from the state. This can include Universal Credit (UC), Working Tax Credit (WTC), Pension Credit Guarantee Credit and Child Benefit (based on the limits of income).

For a full list of providers who take part in the ECO scheme, see here.

Great British Insulation Scheme

The Great British Insulation Scheme was launched in 2023 and is designed to aid individuals in insulating their residences, enhancing energy efficiency, and cutting down on energy expenses. As an unofficial replacement of the Green Homes Grant Scheme which closed in 2021, this new scheme is intended to complement the ECO4 and will run until March 2026.

Under the scheme, energy suppliers are mandated to assist customers in lowering their heating costs by implementing energy-efficient measures, including loft and cavity wall insulation. The expenses for these measures may be entirely covered by the scheme, or you might be asked to contribute, depending on the specific measure and any property-related considerations.

To find out more about the Great British Insulation Scheme, see here. 

Am I eligible for free loft insulation?

To qualify for the schemes above, you must meet certain criteria.

It can be a difficult process to find out if you qualify for the ECO scheme. This is because eligibility depends on all sorts of factors, including where you live, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of your home, the amount of emissions that could be saved by completing the work and whether you receive any benefits. EDF Energy, for example, states that in order to get free loft insulation, the loft must be accessible, existing insulation must be less than 100mm thick and there should be no infestations or water damage. You should also own or rent your home and it must have an EPC rating of A to E. Other providers may have completely different criteria, so it’s worth doing your research to determine what each supplier can offer you. 

Generally, E.ON states that the ECO scheme is available to any E.ON customer, however you need to apply for cavity wall insulation first and then request loft insulation afterwards. If you receive any kind of benefits, there is a way to fast track straight to loft insulation without needing cavity wall insulation. These rules also apply for Npower.

Through both EDF and SSE, you must be on certain benefits to apply, including Universal Credit, Tax Credits, or Attendance Allowance.

To find out if you’re eligible, simply go directly to your energy provider and ask them. They will be able to run through the criteria and advise you on next steps if you do qualify.

As with the ECO scheme, the Great British Insulation Scheme also has certain restrictions that you must look into before applying. Both homeowners and landlords can apply for the scheme, and any homes with a leasehold will need permission from freeholders before going ahead with the changes.

Even if you qualify for either of the schemes we’ve mentioned, there may still be some restrictions to be aware of. If you have already received a grant, you may not be able to apply for another. However, in the right circumstances, you can benefit from both of these schemes for different things. For example, you may be getting subsidised loft insulation through the Great British Insulation Scheme and cavity wall insulation through ECO4 - this is fine.

When it comes to the ECO4 scheme, you should also be aware that some improvements are only available to you if you pick certain others. Improvements are split into two categories: primary and secondary. You will need to pick at least one primary improvement in order to qualify for a secondary one.

Primary improvements include insulation (cavity wall, loft, underfloor, solid wall) and low-carbon heating (air source and ground source heat pumps and boilers). Secondary improvements include draught-proofing, double glazing and energy efficient doors.

Luckily, insulation is included in the primary category, so if this is the only thing you want, you’ll be able to get it without needing to choose any other items.

Can I get a grant for cavity wall insulation?

Both grants mentioned in this article include cavity wall insulation. You will either get this product installed for free or the cost will be partially covered by you and partially by the government.