The 60-second answer
- Warm Homes Plan is an umbrella, not one scheme. Four routes sit under it: WH:LG (Local Grant), WH:SHF (Social Housing Fund), GBIS (insulation), BUS (heat pumps).
- £30,000 is a cap, not an entitlement. Whole-home WH:LG packages average £8,000–£20,000; only deep-retrofit on solid-wall G-rated properties approach the ceiling.
- Eligibility is locally-determined. Your local authority sets criteria within DESNZ parameters. Common routes: EPC D or below, Council Tax A–D, off-gas-grid, or means-tested benefits.
- Application timeline: 3–6 months from registration to installation, going through your council's WH:LG delivery partner.
- Not eligible? BUS (£7,500 heat pump) has no income gate. GBIS covers insulation broadly. ECO Flex via your local authority is a fallback route.
Independent information
This is an independent information service. We are not the government, a delivery agent, or an installer. All scheme detail on this page comes from official sources — DESNZ, GOV.UK guidance, Trustmark registration data, and Energy Saving Trust cost estimates. Eligibility and exact package contents are determined by your local authority; always verify the current criteria with them or via the official GOV.UK Warm Homes Plan page before making decisions.
What the Warm Homes Plan actually is
The Warm Homes Plan is the UK government's headline programme for home energy efficiency and low-carbon heating in England, announced in 2024 and launched in 2025. It is the successor framework to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) era and a major plank of the UK's net-zero strategy. The total commitment is £13.2 billion across the parliament, spread across the four delivery routes described below.
Two structural points commonly confuse people, and most existing online guides get them wrong.
First — the Warm Homes Plan is an umbrella, not a single scheme. It contains four distinct routes, each with different eligibility rules, different delivery agents, and different funded measures. When someone says "I want to apply for the Warm Homes Plan," they almost always mean Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG), which is the consumer-facing route for owner-occupiers and private tenants. Confusing the umbrella with the route leads to wrong eligibility advice.
Second — funding is direct Treasury money, not energy-supplier obligation. ECO4, which ran from April 2022 to March 2026, was funded by a levy on energy suppliers. Warm Homes Plan is funded directly through DESNZ. This shifts how applications work — you no longer go via your energy supplier; you go via your local authority's delivery partner (or, for BUS, via your MCS-certified installer).
The shift to Treasury funding and local-authority delivery has trade-offs. Coverage is more geographically uneven than ECO4 because not every council is yet a WH:LG partner. Application is more bureaucratic because of the council-level survey and approval steps. But the per-property funding ceiling is higher, and the scope of funded measures is broader.
The four routes under the umbrella
Identify which route fits your situation. Most homeowners go through WH:LG or BUS; social tenants are usually covered through WH:SHF; insulation-only upgrades typically come through GBIS.
| Route | Who it's for | Cap | Delivered via |
|---|---|---|---|
| WH:LG | Owner-occupiers and private tenants in qualifying areas | £30,000 per property | Local authority partner |
| WH:SHF | Social housing tenants (via their landlord) | Set by social landlord | Housing association / council |
| GBIS | Anyone in lower Council Tax bands with EPC D-G | Per-measure (varies) | Energy supplier |
| BUS | Anyone in England or Wales replacing fossil fuel heating | £7,500 per heat pump | MCS-certified installer |
Consumer route
Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG)
The consumer-facing route. Delivered by your local authority through a council-appointed delivery partner (sometimes the council itself, sometimes a managing agent like AgilityEco, E.ON, or a regional energy company). Eligibility is locally-determined within DESNZ-defined parameters. Funds whole-home retrofit packages tailored to your property's needs. The £30,000 cap is per property, not per measure.
Social housing
Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF)
For social landlords — housing associations and council housing departments — to fund energy efficiency upgrades to their social housing stock. Social tenants do not apply directly; the landlord submits a portfolio bid to DESNZ and rolls out works across qualifying properties. If you are a social tenant, your route is to ask your landlord whether your block is in a WH:SHF programme.
Insulation
Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
The insulation-focused route, delivered by your energy supplier (similar shape to the old ECO4 supplier model). Eligibility is broader than WH:LG — primarily based on Council Tax band (A–D in England, A–E in Scotland and Wales) and EPC band (D–G) — but the scope is narrower: cavity, loft, solid wall, and room-in-roof insulation. No heat pumps, no solar, no controls. The successor to ECO4's insulation function.
Heat pump
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
The heat-pump-replacement route, with no eligibility gate other than: you are in England or Wales, you own the property (or have landlord consent), and you are replacing a fossil fuel heating system (gas, oil, LPG) with an MCS-certified air source or ground source heat pump. The £7,500 grant is claimed by your installer on your behalf and discounted from your invoice. Runs until 2028.
Warm Homes: Local Grant eligibility — honestly
Most existing guides quote a fixed national income threshold or a specific EPC requirement. Neither is right. WH:LG eligibility is determined by your local authority within DESNZ-defined parameters — and councils set the criteria for their area based on their priorities (fuel poverty, off-gas-grid concentration, deprived neighbourhood targeting).
That said, three eligibility routes recur across most local authorities. If any of these apply, register interest with your council; their delivery partner will confirm the specific criteria.
Property route
EPC + Council Tax route
Most common qualifying route. EPC band D, E, F or G, and a Council Tax band typically A–D (England) or A–E (Scotland and Wales). No income test; eligibility is determined by property attributes alone.
Income route
Means-tested benefits route
Households receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance commonly qualify regardless of EPC or Council Tax band.
Rural route
Off-gas-grid route
Properties without mains gas (heated by oil, LPG, solid fuel, or electric) are commonly prioritised by local authorities regardless of standard income or EPC criteria, particularly in rural areas.
ECO Flex / LA Flex — the discretionary route
If you do not fit the standard routes but face energy hardship — high heating costs, vulnerable household member, mental or physical health impacts of cold — your local authority can nominate you through ECO Flex (also called LA Flex or Local Authority Flexible Eligibility). Each council publishes its own "Statement of Intent" listing the discretionary categories it will consider. Worth checking your council's website before assuming you do not qualify.
How to apply — step by step
End-to-end timeline from registration to installation is typically 3-6 months. Survey availability and works complexity drive the variance.
Confirm your local authority is a WH:LG delivery partner
Search "[your council name] Warm Homes" or check your council's energy advice page. If your authority is not yet partnered, the alternative routes apply: BUS, GBIS, or ECO Flex. The Energy Saving Trust's free advice line (0800 444 202 in England) will route you correctly.
Register interest with the delivery partner
Online form, phone, or council energy advice service. You will need: address, current EPC band, Council Tax band, household composition, current heating system, any qualifying benefits. The initial screening checks eligibility against the local criteria — outcome is usually within 2–4 weeks.
Property survey by an accredited assessor
Visits the property, records construction details, EPC inputs, heating system, ventilation, and any structural constraints. Produces a Retrofit Assessment under PAS 2035 standard. The output is a recommendations list with cost estimates and target EPC band. Typically 4–6 weeks after eligibility confirmation.
Measures approved and installer assigned
The delivery partner approves the recommended measures and assigns a Trustmark-registered installer (and MCS-certified where heat pumps or solar are included). You receive a written package of works and indicative install date. Approval typically takes 2–4 weeks.
Installation
On-site works run from 1 day (loft top-up only) to 4 weeks (full external wall insulation plus heat pump install). The installer notifies Building Control via Trustmark and registers the work on the relevant compliance registers (MCS for heat pumps, BBA for solid wall insulation systems, etc.).
Post-install verification and updated EPC
A Retrofit Coordinator reviews the completed works against the original assessment. A new EPC is commissioned reflecting the improved state. You receive a completion pack — commissioning records, warranties, EPC, and a Retrofit Handover document. This is the trail to keep for sale, lettings, or future works.
What WH:LG funds — by category
Funded measures are determined by the property survey, not by the household's preferences. The package targets the EPC band uplift required under the local authority's scheme criteria, typically C or above.
Fabric
Fabric measures (insulation)
- Loft insulation top-up to 270mm
- Cavity wall insulation (where present and uninsulated)
- Solid wall insulation — external (EWI) or internal (IWI)
- Floor insulation (suspended timber or solid)
- Room-in-roof insulation
- Draught-proofing throughout
- Window upgrade to double or triple glazing (where existing is single)
Heating & renewables
Heating and renewables
- Air source heat pump replacing fossil fuel system
- Ground source heat pump (rural / large-plot properties)
- Solar PV system (typically 3–6 kW)
- Battery storage paired with solar (typically 5–10 kWh)
- Hot water cylinder (where heat pump requires)
- Smart heating controls and weather compensation
- Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) where required
Not funded under WH:LG
Standalone gas boiler replacement (use the open market or check ECO Flex emergency heating routes), EV charging points (use OZEV grant), aesthetic refurbishment, kitchen or bathroom upgrades, anything outside the energy-performance scope of PAS 2035.
Check your eligibility
The widget below queries your current EPC band from the live MHCLG register and routes you through indicative Warm Homes Plan eligibility based on your postcode and Council Tax band.
Warm Homes: Local Grant eligibility check
Postcode + EPC + Council Tax band — instant indicative eligibility against your local authority's WH:LG criteria where active.
Key eligibility factors:
- Comprehensive energy upgrade
- Multiple measures
- Owner-occupier
Check your property against the live MHCLG EPC register to see your current band and every grant you qualify for — free, in under a minute.
Check your propertyNo current EPC on file? You will need a new assessment to apply. EPC typically costs £35-£100; some local authority WH:LG packages cover the cost. Book an EPC assessment via energyperformancecertificates.co.uk.
Regional rollout — find your council
WH:LG is being rolled out in waves through 2025-2027. Approximately 270 English local authorities were in the first delivery wave; additional councils are joining each year as bids are approved. Your route in:
- Google "[your council name] Warm Homes Plan" — councils participating have a dedicated page, usually under "energy" or "housing".
- Phone Energy Saving Trust on 0800 444 202 (England). Free, impartial advice routed to your nearest delivery partner.
- Phone Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 (Scotland). Warmer Homes Scotland is the equivalent route.
- Phone Nest on 0808 808 2244 (Wales). Nest is the Welsh Government's energy scheme.
If your council is not yet a WH:LG partner, three alternative routes apply: BUS for heat pump replacement (no local-authority gate), GBIS for insulation, and ECO Flex via your council's discretionary nomination route.
Scotland
Scotland — Warmer Homes Scotland
Devolved equivalent scheme with broader rural priority. HES advice line and standalone application route.
Read Scotland guide →Wales
Wales — Nest scheme
Welsh Government's energy efficiency programme, covering 22 local authorities with a combined advice + assessment + works offer.
Read Wales guide →Warm Homes Plan vs other grant routes
If you qualify for multiple routes, the order is usually: WH:LG first (highest cap, most comprehensive), BUS for the heat pump element if not covered, GBIS for additional insulation, ECO Flex for emergency or hardship cases. The routes are not always combinable — WH:LG packages typically subsume BUS rather than stacking with it.
| Aspect | WH:LG | BUS | GBIS | ECO4 (closed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum funding | £30,000 | £7,500 | Per-measure | £15,000 |
| Funded by | Treasury (DESNZ) | Treasury (DESNZ) | Energy suppliers | Energy suppliers |
| Apply via | Local authority | MCS installer | Energy supplier | N/A |
| Income gate | Local criteria | None | CTB + EPC | Income/benefit |
| EPC requirement | Usually D–G | None | D–G | D–G |
| Scope | Whole-home | Heat pump only | Insulation | Heating + insulation |
| Live in 2026? | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (closed March 2026) |
The £30,000 figure — what it really covers
The headline "up to £30,000" is the maximum package value under WH:LG. The actual support is whatever your property needs to reach the local authority's target EPC band — typically C or above. Three realistic package examples:
Light retrofit
D-rated semi reaching C
Loft top-up, cavity wall insulation, smart controls, possibly a hot water cylinder upgrade. No heat pump if existing gas boiler is efficient.
Medium retrofit
E-rated solid-wall reaching D
External or internal solid wall insulation, loft top-up, heat pump replacing gas boiler, MVHR or trickle ventilation, heating controls.
Deep retrofit
G-rated off-grid reaching D
Full external wall insulation, complete glazing replacement, ground or air source heat pump, solar PV with battery, ventilation strategy, hot water cylinder.
The figure to ask about: not "how much is the grant", but "how much will my property need". The Retrofit Assessment at step 3 of the application produces the answer. If you want to estimate before applying, a heat-pump-package quote via an MCS installer plus an Energy Saving Trust insulation quote gives a useful indicative total.
Get connected with Warm Homes Plan specialists
Tell us your postcode, current EPC band, and household situation. We will route you to your local authority's WH:LG delivery partner, or to an MCS-certified installer for BUS if your council is not yet a WH:LG partner. Single-enquiry routing — your details go to one matched specialist, not a list of cold callers.
Your details are routed to one matched delivery partner or MCS installer. No multi-broker lead sales.
Frequently asked questions
How much funding is available?
Under Warm Homes: Local Grant, the headline figure of up to £30,000 per property reflects whole-home retrofit packages including insulation, heating and renewables. The actual amount depends on the property's needs and the measures funded. BUS provides up to £7,500 for heat pump replacement of a fossil fuel system. GBIS funds individual insulation measures, often at no cost to the household.
Who is eligible for Warm Homes: Local Grant?
Eligibility is set by your local authority within DESNZ-defined parameters. Common qualifying routes include: an EPC rating of D or below, residence in a lower Council Tax band (typically A-D in England), an off-gas-grid property, or being on means-tested benefits. Some local authorities use income-based screening; others use IMD ranking by area. Check with your council or local energy advice service for the criteria in your area.
How do I apply for the Warm Homes Plan?
Applications go through your local authority's WH:LG delivery partner — usually a council-appointed managing agent or energy company. The route is: check eligibility against local criteria, register interest (online form or phone), property survey by an accredited assessor, eligibility confirmation, measures recommended and quoted, installation by Trustmark-registered or MCS-certified installer, post-install verification.
What measures does WH:LG fund?
WH:LG funds whole-home retrofit packages tailored to the property survey, typically including: cavity wall, solid wall, loft and floor insulation; air source heat pump replacement of fossil fuel heating; solar PV with battery storage where appropriate; ventilation improvements; heating controls. The package is determined by the assessor based on what the property needs to reach the target EPC band, not by the household's preference for specific measures.
Is the Warm Homes Plan available everywhere?
WH:LG is rolled out via local authority partnerships, with around 270 councils involved in the first wave. Coverage is expanding through 2026 and 2027. If your local authority is not yet a WH:LG delivery partner, alternative routes apply: BUS for heat pump replacement, GBIS for insulation, and ECO Flex via LA Flex eligibility.
How is the Warm Homes Plan different from ECO4?
ECO4 ran from April 2022 to March 2026 and was funded by an obligation on energy suppliers. Warm Homes Plan is direct Treasury funding through DESNZ, delivered via local authorities and dedicated agencies. The headline package value is similar, but WHP places more emphasis on heat pump replacement and renewables, whereas ECO4 was insulation- and heating-replacement-focused.
Can private tenants apply?
Yes, but with the landlord's consent. The landlord must sign the works agreement and accept that the funded improvements remain with the property. For social tenants, applications usually go through the social landlord under WH:SHF rather than through the tenant directly.
Do I need an EPC to apply?
Yes — your current EPC band is used to assess eligibility and target band. If your EPC has expired (over 10 years old) or you have never had one, you will need a new assessment before applying. A new EPC typically costs £35-£100 and is a recoverable cost in some local authority WH:LG packages.
How long does the application take?
From initial registration to installation typically 3-6 months. Eligibility screening: 2-4 weeks. Property survey: 4-6 weeks after eligibility confirmation. Quote and approval: 2-4 weeks. Installation: depends on works complexity, typically 1-4 weeks of on-site work.
What if I am not eligible?
Three alternative routes commonly fit: Boiler Upgrade Scheme (£7,500 for heat pump replacement, no EPC or income gate), Great British Insulation Scheme (insulation-focused), and ECO Flex via LA Flex (local authority nomination through your council where you do not meet standard income criteria but face energy hardship).
Is the £30,000 figure guaranteed?
No. £30,000 is the maximum value of a whole-home retrofit package under WH:LG. The actual support depends entirely on what the property needs. A property already at band D needing only loft top-up and a heat pump may receive £8,000-£12,000. A solid-wall G-rated property may approach the £30,000 ceiling. The figure is a cap, not an entitlement.
What happens if I sell my home after WHP work?
The improvements stay with the property — there is no clawback if you sell. The new EPC reflecting the improvements is a legitimate sale asset; higher-rated properties commonly attract a 4-14% price premium per MHCLG analyses. Where the funding came from a registered charge or covenant (rare under WH:LG), the conveyancer will surface it during sale.
Related grant routes
Insulation
GBIS — insulation
The live successor to ECO4 for insulation. Broader Council Tax band eligibility, energy-supplier delivery.
Read GBIS guide →Heat pump
BUS — heat pumps
£7,500 for heat pump installation. No income or EPC gate. Claimed by your MCS installer on your behalf.
Read BUS guide →Grants hub
All UK energy grants
Every live grant scheme, comparison table, current eligibility criteria.
Read grants hub →Scotland
Scotland grants
Warmer Homes Scotland and HES — the devolved equivalent routes north of the border.
Read Scotland guide →Wales
Wales — Nest scheme
Welsh Government's energy efficiency programme across 22 local authorities.
Read Wales guide →EPC
EPC ratings explained
Your EPC band is the qualification gate for most grants. What the bands mean and how to improve.
Read EPC guide →Ready to apply?
Start with the eligibility widget above, or contact your local authority's energy advice service directly.