ECO Scheme Heating and Insulation Grants

Affordable Warmth Scheme is part of the ECO4 Scheme and provides Heating Grants and Insulation Grants

We have helped tens of thousands of householders to apply for ECO Scheme Grants

Free central heating grants - installing central heating
Liverpool City Heating Grants for Air Source Heat Pumps
Solar panel Grants for the Affordable Warmth Scheme
ECO Plus Grants for cavity wall insulation

Who qualifies for a grant from the Affordable Warmth Scheme?

You may qualify for a heating or insulation grant from the Affordable Warmth Scheme if you satisfy ALL THREE of the following qualifying criteria:

You must be an ‘owner-occupier’ or a private tenant to qualify for a grant to help install new heating systems or insulation

For both home owners and private tenants the qualification for the grant you are applying for will also depend your home’s EPC

You receive one of the ECO4 Scheme’s Qualifying State Benefits, Tax Credits or other Allowances

If you don’t receive one of the benefits you may qualify under ECO Flex rules but we only work with a small number of local councils for this

Boiler Grants are only available to replace broken mains gas non-condensing boilers

First Time Central Heating Grants are available to help install gas central heating systems or an Air Source Heat Pump in homes which have never had central heating installed before

What is the Affordable Warmth Scheme?

The Affordable Warmth Scheme is part of the Government’s ECO Scheme which was introduced in January 2013 to fight fuel poverty and to help reduce carbon emissions and the effects of climate change. First Time Central Heating Grants were introduced on 1st January 2020 for householders who live in home which have never had central heating fitted before. Central Heating Grants are still available under ECO4 which started on 1st April 2022 and is expected to run until March 2026.

The scheme also provides funding to replace broken electric storage heaters and broken central heating boilers for home owners who can’t afford to replace them.

This is why it targets householders who receive a means-tested State Benefit and groups such as Pensioners and Single Parents.

Major changes to the ECO Scheme were introduced on 1st October 2018 with a widening of Affordable Warmth Scheme qualifying criteria and a more focused targeting of fuel poverty and this has continued into ECO4.

Changes to the Affordable Warmth Scheme introduced in October 2018 restrict grants to help replace broken boilers and broken electric storage heaters to owner occupiers.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, replacing an old, inefficient or faulty central heating boiler with a modern A rated boiler could reduce your energy bills by up to £350 per year, whilst providing peace of mind that you have an energy efficient boiler to keep your home warm.

Modern electric night storage heaters are much more energy efficient than previous versions.  They are also better insulated so as not to lose the heat stored in them overnight.  Both heat input and heat output are more controllable to ensure that you are not wasting energy, whilst your home stays warmer.

Cavity Wall Insulation Grants and Loft Insulation Grants are also available from the Affordable Warmth Scheme.

Affordable Warmth Scheme Qualifying Criteria

1. Your Home

  • Affordable Warmth Scheme Grants are available to home owners and private tenants. If you are a social housing tenant, you may qualify if your home is let at or above the market rate.
  • You may qualify for an ECO4 Grant to help install a new heating system or insulation.
  • Only non-condensing mains gas boilers can be replaced, oil, LPG and coal boilers are now excluded.
  • For first time central heating grants, if your home had a mains gas supply and meter at at 1st April 2022 you may qualify for a new mains gas central heating system.  If it didn’t have mains gas you may qualify for an air source heat pump grant.
  • For electric storage heaters, solar PV panels and insulation, you may need to have additional measures installed to meet ECO4 rules.
  • PLEASE NOTE: in all cases the heating and insulation measures you qualify depend on your current EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating; AND the measure or measures installed must raise your EPC rating by a certain amount to qualify.
  • Householders in Housing Association Homes and Shared Ownership homes do not qualify for ECO4 grants.  Other grants may be available and if you do not own your home you should contact your landlord, your energy company and the housing department of your local authority.

2. Your State Benefits

To qualify for a CENTRAL HEATING GRANT or a BOILER GRANT with the Affordable Warmth Scheme you must receive at least one of the following State Benefits, Tax Credits or other Allowances and satisfy any associated qualifying criteria.

First time central heating grants are only available to home owners and tenants in privately rented homes which have never had a central heating system fitted before.

If you do not receive one of the qualifying benefits, you may still qualify if your Local Authority approves your application under ECO Flex rules.

Click on the benefit you receive below for more information and to see any additional qualifying requirements.

You receive Pension Credit – Guarantee Credit

Pension Credit – Guarantee Credit is an additional payment on top of your ordinary State Pension, which you must have made a claim for.

Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over State Pension age and on a low income. Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.

With Pension Credit – Savings Credit, the amount of your capital savings will affect the amount you receive.

You receive Universal Credit which is a monthly payment to help with your living costs.

You receive Child Tax Credit.

Under ECO4 Affordable Warmth Scheme rules from April 2022 total household income thresholds apply to the receipt of this benefit.

You receive Working Tax Credit.

Working Tax Credit is designed to top up your earnings if you work and are on a low income. But it’s being replaced and people now have to claim Universal Credit instead.

You receive Child Benefit.

You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:

Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.

It’s paid every 4 weeks and there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.

You may have to pay back some of your Child Benefit if your (or your partner’s) income is above £50,000.

You receive Income Related Employment & Support Allowance.  Contribution Based ESA does not qualify.

You receive Income Based Job Seeker’s Allowance.  Contribution Based JSA does not qualify.

You receive Income Support.

You receive Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit can help you pay your rent if you’re unemployed, on a low income or claiming benefits. It’s being replaced by Universal Credit.

You can only make a new claim for Housing Benefit if either of the following apply:

  • you have reached State Pension age
  • you’re in supported, sheltered or temporary housing

Otherwise your new claim would be for Universal Credit.

Comparison of Household Eligibility under ECO3 and ECO4
Means Tested Benefits eligible under ECO3 not eligible under ECO4
Click on the image to enlarge it
Relevant Household Income Thresholds for Child Benefit under ECO4
Click on the image to enlarge it

3a. Heating Systems

First time central heating grants are only available to home owners and tenants in properties which have never had a central heating system fitted before.

If your home had a mains gas supply and meter at at 1st April 2022 you may qualify for a new mains gas central heating system.  If it didn’t have mains gas you may qualify for an air source heat pump grant.

For electric storage heaters and solar PV panels you may need to have additional measures installed to meet ECO4 rules.

Only non-condensing mains gas boilers can be replaced, oil, LPG and coal boilers are now excluded.

3b. Insulation

Affordable Warmth Scheme grants are available for:

  • Cavity wall insulation
  • Solid wall insulation (external and internal)
  • Loft insulation
  • Under floor insulation (for suspended wooden floors)
  • Pitched roof insulation
  • Flat roof insulation (for habitable rooms only)
  • Room in roof, or attic room insulation

We have processed over 35,000 Affordable Warmth Scheme ECO Scheme Grants.

What will my storage heater grant cover?

The Affordable Warmth Scheme may provide funding to replace broken electric panel heaters BUT NOT BROKEN ELECTRIC STORAGE HEATERS.

ECO funding also pays for a FREE SURVEY to establish whether you qualify for the scheme.  The amount of your storage heater grant will depend upon the type of property you live in, how many bedrooms you have and several other factors.

If you qualify for a storage heater grant, Affordable Warmth Scheme funding will only cover the cost of replacing the existing electric panel heaters and a limited amount of electrical work.

Modern electric storage heaters are fitted with a heater and convector fan to provide heat additional to that stored overnight.  If you are on the Economy 7 electricity tariff or similar, you may need an additional electrical supply to your new heaters to enable the convector fan to work.  The full cost of this may not be covered by your Affordable Warmth Scheme storage heater grant.

If additional work is required, you may be asked to pay for this.  Also, because of the way storage heater grants are calculated, your grant may not cover the full cost of your new storage heaters installation and a contribution may be required.

If this happens in your case, you can refuse to contribute (but the work may not be carried out), negotiate a lower amount with the installer, or even apply again to get another quotation from a different installer. We advise you to consider your options with care.

Affordable Warmth Scheme provides funding for STORAGE HEATER GRANTS
What will my boiler grant cover?

The Affordable Warmth Scheme provides funding to replace broken mains gas boilers.

ECO funding also pays for a FREE SURVEY to establish whether you qualify for the scheme.  The amount of your boiler grant will depend upon the type of property you live in, how many bedrooms you have and several other factors.

If you qualify for a boiler grant, Affordable Warmth Scheme funding will only cover the cost of replacing the central heating boiler and a limited amount of pipework. It does not cover full heating systems, radiators, pumps or control systems.

If additional work is required, you may be asked to pay for this.  Also, because of the way boiler grants are calculated, your Affordable Warmth Scheme grant may not cover the full cost of your boiler installation and a contribution may be required.

If this happens in your case, you can refuse to contribute (but the work may not be carried out), negotiate a lower amount with the installer, or even apply again to get another quotation from a different installer. We advise you to consider your options with care.

First time central heating grants are only available to home owners and tenants in privately rented homes which have never had a central heating system fitted before.

Free Boiler Grants are available with the Affordable warmth Scheme

The way that Central Heating GrantsBoiler Grants, Storage Heater Grants, Cavity Wall Insulation Grants and Loft Insulation Grants awarded under the Affordable Warmth Scheme are calculated is complicated to say the least.

Factors dictating the amount of your ECO4 grant include:

  • the type and size of your home
  • how many bedrooms it has,
  • whether it has cavity walls or solid walls
  • how well it is insulated
  • the type of heating system installed
  • the product to be installed

Property types are classified as:

  • Detached houses
  • Semi-detached houses
  • End-terraced houses
  • Mid-terraced houses
  • Detached bungalows
  • Semi-detached or end-terraced bungalows
  • Maisonettes with 3 external walls
  • Maisonettes with 2 external walls
  • Flats with 3 external walls
  • Flats with 2 external walls

The following factors will generally result in higher ECO4 grants:

  • More external walls. For example, a detached house normally has 4 external walls, a semi-detached house 3 external walls and a mid-terraced house just 2.
  • More bedrooms. A four bedroom semi-detached house will attract a higher grant than a three bedroom semi-detached house.
  • Larger homes (by volume) attract higher grants than smaller homes.
  • Properties with solid walls attract higher grants than those with cavity walls.
  • Badly insulated properties attract higher grants than those which are well insulated (cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and double glazing are taken into account).

Taking account of all of the factors which can affect your ECO4 grant, there are over 10,000 different permutations.

Affordable Warmth Scheme Long Term Savings of Carbon Emissions

Your Affordable Warmth Scheme grant calculation will produce a figure which approximates the long term savings in carbon emissions you will achieve over the lifetime of your new heating system or insulation, by having it upgraded. The greater your long term savings in carbon emissions, the higher your grant.

The main driving force behind the ECO Scheme is to reduce carbon emissions from the domestic housing stock in the UK. This can generally be best achieved by improving the energy efficiency of large badly insulated buildings with off-gas heating systems. It is no surprise then, that this type of home attracts the highest ECO grants.

Once the ECO grant for your home is calculated it is compared to the cost of replacing your boiler or electric panel heaters to determine how much, if any, your contribution will be.

If you require a more detailed explanation of the calculation of the ECO grant in your particular case, you need to speak to the accredited installer who is dealing with your ECO4 grant application.

If you are a private landlord you are responsible for providing a working heating system in your rental properties under MEES Regulations.

However, your tenant may qualify for a grant to install electric storage heaters if the property has an EPC rating of E or better AND the main source of heating is electric panel heaters or electric room heaters.

First time central heating grants are only available to home owners and tenants in privately rented homes which have never had a central heating system fitted before.

Affordable Warmth Scheme funding is provided by the big six energy companies

British Gas provides Affordable Warmth Scheme funding for Boiler Grants Electric Storage Heater Grants
EDF Energy provides Affordable Warmth Scheme funding for Oil Boiler Grants, LPG Boiler Grants, Natural Gas Boiler Grants and Electric Storage Heater Grants
E-ON provides Affordable Warmth Scheme funding for Oil Boiler Grants, LPG Boiler Grants, Natural Gas Boiler Grants and Electric Storage Heater Grants
N POWER provides Affordable Warmth Scheme funding for Oil Boiler Grants, LPG Boiler Grants, Natural Gas Boiler Grants and Electric Storage Heater Grants
Scottish and Southern Energy provides Affordable Warmth Scheme funding for Oil Boiler Grants, LPG Boiler Grants, Natural Gas Boiler Grants and Electric Storage Heater Grants
Scottish Power provides Affordable Warmth Scheme funding for Oil Boiler Grants, LPG Boiler Grants, Natural Gas Boiler Grants and Electric Storage Heater Grants

We deal with applications for Affordable Warmth Scheme Grants throughout most of England and Wales

Affordable Warmth Scheme Provides Central Heating Grants, Boiler Grants and Insulation Grants.........
APPLY FOR YOUR ECO4 AFFORDABLE WARMTH SCHEME GRANT TODAY
Apply for your Free Storage Heaters Grant or Free Boiler Grant from the Affordable Warmth Scheme

Central Heating Grants, Boiler Grants and Insulation Grants from the Affordable Warmth Scheme

First time central heating grants are only available to home owners and tenants in privately rented homes which have never had a central heating system fitted before.

Affordable Warmth Scheme, part of ECO4