Insulation grants

Insulation helps keep your home cosy as well as cutting your energy bills. But it can be pricey to install, so it’s worth finding out whether you qualify for a grant to help with the cost of installing insulation in your home.

Some energy companies offer free insulation or grants to help you make your home more energy efficient, owing to the government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Scheme.

How much you will save on your annual energy bills depends on the size and type of your home, and how energy efficient it is already. Here are some rough estimages,  based on July 2025 energy prices, according to the Energy Saving Trust:

• Loft insulation (going from 0mm to 270mm): between £210 and £390 a year
• Floor insulation: between £45 and £120 a year
• Cavity wall insulation: between £120 and £420 a year.

Over time, insulation will pay for itself with the savings you make on your energy bills. If you need help with the up-front cost of installing insulation, read on to find out what assistance is available. 

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Are insulation grants still available?

Free loft and cavity wall insulation, or grants towards it, are available from some energy suppliers as part of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme.

 You can see more about what is offered by different energy companies below.

Issues with government insulation schemes

Unfortunately, poor oversight of the government's insulation grant schemes has led to many instances of rogue traders causing damage to people’s homes. 

A report published by the National Audit Office (NAO) in October 2025 found that 98% of homes that had external wall insulation installed under the ECO4 and Great British Insulation Schemes between 2022 and early 2025 have problems that will ultimately lead to damp and mould issues if corrective work isn’t carried out. 

The NAO, which monitors how public money is spent, cited an 'under-skilled workforce', businesses cutting corners and uncertainty over which standards to apply to which jobs, as some of the reasons for the issues. Energy Consumer Minister Martin McCluskey said the government was taking action and that the homes would be fixed 'at no cost to the consumer'.

Ofgem has sent letters to affected properties setting out next steps for consumers. If you haven’t received a letter but think you’ve been affected, you should contact Ofgem directly. 

Your insulation work will then be checked by qualified professionals and you may be contacted by Ofgem or Trustmark to arrange this. If they find that the work was faulty, your installer will be asked to fix the issue at no cost to you. 

Lisa Webb, Which?'s consumer law expert, says: "Watch out for potential scammers and do not part with any money. Bear in mind that all legitimate communications about this process will use your Unique Measure Reference - you can find this information in your letter from Ogem. If you're unsure if someone contacting you is genuine, you can call Ofgem for free on 0808 169 4447 to check."

You can find out more about what to do if you are affected at GOV.UK: what to do if you have poor quality wall insulation fitted through a government scheme.

For detailed guidance on how to navigate the complaints process and what information you will need, visit Ofgem's dedicated guide to how to make an ECO4 complaint. 

Paying for insulation

If you're not eligible for a grant, how you pay for insulation jobs will depend on your individual circumstances and the cost of the job. 

You can do simple insulating jobs yourself relatively cheaply, such as draught proofing and loft insulation. Bigger jobs that need a professional installer can cost from about £1,100 for cavity wall insulation in a mid-floor flat to as much as £11,000 for external solid wall insulation.

To find out the costs, savings and payback times for the various insulation jobs, see our guides to insulation costs for different types of home. For smaller jobs, we've included some indicative costs in our guide to draught proofing.

You could pay for insulation using a 0% balance transfer credit card and repay the cost over the term of your credit card deal. Or you could also consider increasing your mortgage to pay for larger and more expensive home improvements. 

Free insulation deals from energy suppliers

Some energy suppliers offer free insulation or, in some specific circustances a boiler upgrade, to eligible households through the ECO scheme.

To qualify for the ECO scheme, you or someone else in your household will usually need to receive certain government benefits. Your home will also need to require an energy efficiency upgrade. 

Exactly what you could get will depend on the results of a retrofit assessment.

British Gas

Previously, British Gas offered cavity wall insulation via the Great British Insulation Scheme and insulation and air source heat pumps via ECO4.

However, it is no longer accepting applicants via the scheme, saying that registrations needed to be entered far in advance of the end of the schemes in March 2026, to allow enough time for the full process to take place. 

EDF Energy: free insulation or heating system upgrade

What can I get? Loft insulation, wall insulation, floor insulation or a heating system upgrade, such as replacing an inefficient gas boiler or old electric heating system with a more efficient one.

Who is eligible? EDF customers whose homes have an EPC rating of E or below. You, or someone in your household, must also receive one of the qualifying benefits (see EDF’s website for the full list).

How can I apply? Online on EDF Energy's website. It has temporarily stopped accepting applications but plans to open them again in future.

E.ON Next: insulation grants

What can I get? Up to £500 towards loft insulation, attic or roof insulation.

Who is eligible? To get the full £500 you'll need to be installing loft insulation for the first time. If you already have a layer of insulation in your lost, you might get a top-up but will need to pay more towards it.

Eligibility is based on whether you or someone else living at your property receive certain benefits or you have a household income of £31,000 or less. You must own your home or rent it privately and it must have an EPC rating between D and G. You don't need to be a customer of E.ON Next.

How can I apply? Online on E.ON Next's website.

Octopus Energy: insulation for customers 

What can I get? Cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and underfloor heating via ECO4.

Who is eligible? Octopus Energy customers who get qualifying benefits.

How can I apply? Online on Octopus Energy's website.

Ovo Energy: free insulation

What can I get? Loft, cavity wall or floor insulation via the Great British Insulation Scheme. Insulation, boilers and heat pumps via ECO4.

Who is eligible? Homeowners or private tenants with an EPC rating on their home of D or below who are receiving certain benefits.

How can I apply? By email at eco@ovoenergy.com. Visit the Ovo website for more information.

Scottish Power: insulation or heating

What can I get? Upgraded or new insulation, a replacement heating system or new air source heat pump via ECO4. In some circumstances, you might be able to get solar panels.

Who is eligible? Homeowners with an EPC ratings of D or below who receive certain benefits. If you rent, your EPC must be E or below. You don't need to be a Scottish Power customer.

How can I apply? Online on Scottish Power's website.

Utilita: free energy-saving measures

What can I get? Energy-efficiency measures including insulation, a new boiler or solar panels.

Who is eligible? Those in homes with an EPC rating of D or below if you own your home, or E or below if you are in social or private rented accommodation, and who receive certain benefits. You don't need to be a Utilita customer.

How can I apply? Online on Utilita's website.

Other energy suppliers 

E (Gas & Electricity), Ecotricity, Outfox the Market and Utility Warehouse don't currently have information about what's available through the Energy Company Obligation on their websites but you can find their contact details for the scheme on the Ofgem website.

So Energy says the criteria for ECO are strict and to apply you need to complete a form on So Energy's website. You don't need to be a So Energy customer.

You can also contact your local council to find out if they're participating in the scheme.

Checking the small print

To work out which type of insulation is right for your home, read our guides to loft insulation and cavity wall insulation.

Before taking up any deal, you'll need to read the small print for each insulation offer to make sure both you and your home are eligible. 

Companies typically need to be able to insulate at least two thirds of your loft space, and exclude properties with more than 100mm of loft insulation already in place. 

You may not be eligible if you live in a rented property, flat or maisonette, or a housing association or council property, and most deals only apply only to people living in mainland Britain as well. 

You may also need to pay towards the cost of your 'free' insulation if you live in a particularly large or unusual house.

Read about the different types of insulation available to make your home feel cosier.