Last reviewed: , against the Welsh Government's Nest pages, Ofgem's ECO4 position as recorded in the Energy Pages scheme register, and HMRC VAT Notice 708/6. Nest, the supplier or the council decides, not this page.
Nest: free insulation for households that qualify
Nest “can confirm if you are eligible for a package of free home energy improvements”, and the Welsh Government lists insulation among them, with heat pumps and solar panels. A whole-house assessment decides what your home gets.
Who qualifies
- You own or privately rent the home, not a council or housing association home
- You receive a means-tested benefit, or live in a low-income household
- The home is rated EPC 54 (E) or less, or 68 (D) or less where someone in the household has an eligible health condition
- Without an eligible condition, a D-rated home goes on a reserve list
How you apply
- Ring Nest free on 0808 808 2244, or request a callback at gethomeenergyadvice.service.gov.wales
- If you are eligible, Nest arranges an assessor to visit and builds a package for your home
- A private tenant applies for the home they live in; a landlord does not apply for a let home
ECO4 in Wales, until the end of 2026
Open · installation must be completed by 31 December 2026 · scheme details read 18 September 2026
ECO4 is funded by an obligation on energy suppliers, and it is not a grant with a set value. Ofgem: “this is not a grant scheme and as such different companies or installers may provide different levels or types of support towards the installation”. Being eligible does not mean a supplier will take the work on.
The routes are a qualifying benefit, social housing rated EPC E to G, or a referral from a council that takes part in ECO4 Flex, where a household income under £31,000 is one of the routes. You can ask any obligated energy supplier, not only your own.
Every installation must be completed by 31 December 2026, not just started. ECO4 in full
Schemes that no longer reach Wales, or never did
The Great British Insulation Scheme closed on 31 March 2026, so a site still offering it is out of date. The Warm Homes: Local Grant is England only, and Home Energy Scotland's grant is Scotland only.
0% VAT on insulation in Wales
HMRC's VAT Notice 708/6: “A zero rate applies to the installation of certain specified energy-saving materials from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027.” The list includes insulation for walls, floors, ceilings, roofs or lofts, and water tanks, pipes or other plumbing fittings, and draught stripping. “From 1 April 2027 onwards these will revert to the reduced rate of VAT of 5%.” It is applied on the installer's invoice; there is nothing to apply for. Loft insulation and cavity wall insulation cover what each costs.
Common questions
Is there a grant for insulation in Wales?▾
Nest is the main one. The Welsh Government's scheme offers a package of free home energy improvements, insulation among them, to households that own or privately rent the home, receive a means-tested benefit or live on a low income, and live in a home rated EPC 54 (E) or less, or 68 (D) or less where someone has an eligible health condition. ECO4 also runs in Wales until every installation is finished by 31 December 2026.
Can I get free loft insulation in Wales?▾
Possibly, through Nest or ECO4, if you meet their tests. Nest's whole-house assessment decides what is fitted, and an ECO4 supplier decides whether to take the work on at all. Outside those, loft insulation is paid for, with 0% VAT on the installation until 31 March 2027.
Is the Great British Insulation Scheme still open in Wales?▾
No. The Great British Insulation Scheme closed on 31 March 2026 across Great Britain, Wales included. In Wales the insulation routes are now Nest and, until the end of 2026, ECO4.
Is there VAT on insulation in Wales?▾
Not until 31 March 2027. HMRC's VAT Notice 708/6 zero-rates the installation of insulation for walls, floors, ceilings, roofs or lofts, and water tanks, pipes or other plumbing fittings, from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027. From 1 April 2027 it reverts to 5%.
Sources
- Welsh Government — Get free home energy efficiency improvements (Nest) and its eligibility page (read 26 October 2026)
- Ofgem's ECO4 position and the ECO4 Flex routes, as recorded in the Energy Pages scheme register (verified 18 September 2026)
- HMRC — VAT Notice 708/6 (read 26 October 2026)
Other Welsh energy help
Independent information
Energy Pages is an independent information service, not the Welsh Government, Nest, Ofgem, an energy supplier or an installer. Every quotation here is taken from the source listed above. ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026 and Nest's tests can change, so confirm the current position at source.