ECO4 or Warm Homes?
Two schemes, both offering free home upgrades to low-income households. But they work differently, cover different things, and have very different timelines. Here's how to navigate them.
The short version: if you qualify for both, apply for ECO4 first — it closes 31 December 2026, there's no successor, and funding runs down as supplier obligations are met. The Warm Homes Local Grant runs until 2028 and can supplement ECO4 or catch what it misses.
ECO4 at a glance
What: free insulation (loft, cavity, solid wall), first-time central heating, heat pumps and solar for low-income households in EPC D-G properties.
Who: homeowners, private tenants (with landlord consent), and social tenants on qualifying benefits or low income. Qualifying benefits include Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit (income under £16,480), Working Tax Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, and Housing Benefit.
How: energy suppliers are legally obligated to fund these upgrades. You apply through approved ECO installers or your energy supplier. The work is fully funded — there's no cost to you.
When: closes 31 December 2026. No successor obligation scheme has been announced. Once suppliers hit their targets, applications may be capped or waitlisted.
Where: Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales). Not Northern Ireland.
Warm Homes Local Grant at a glance
What: grants up to £15,000 for insulation, heating upgrades and renewables. Part of the government's £15 billion Warm Homes Plan umbrella launched January 2026.
Who: low-income homeowners and private tenants in England with EPC D-G properties. Income thresholds and eligibility criteria are set by your local council — they vary by area.
How: delivered through local councils, not energy suppliers. Apply through your council's energy/housing team or via the GOV.UK application page.
When: rolling out 2025–2028. Not all councils are live yet — availability depends on your local authority's participation.
Where: England only. Scotland and Wales have their own schemes (Home Energy Scotland, Nest).
Key differences
Funding mechanism
ECO4 is funded by energy suppliers who pass the cost to all bill-payers through a small levy. Warm Homes is government-funded from general taxation via the Warm Homes Plan budget. This matters because ECO4 funding is finite — once a supplier has met their obligation, they stop funding installations. Warm Homes has a sustained multi-year budget.
What's covered
ECO4 is heavily focused on "fabric first" — insulation and draught-proofing — with heating upgrades secondary. The scheme uses a "minimum requirement" framework where your home must improve by at least 2 SAP points and reach the next EPC band. Warm Homes Local Grant has a broader scope: it can cover renewable energy (solar, heat pumps) more readily and isn't bound by the same SAP uplift rules.
Accessibility
ECO4 is well-established and has approved installer networks across the country — finding an ECO installer is straightforward. Warm Homes is newer, council-dependent, and coverage is patchy in 2026. Some councils are fully operational; others haven't started delivery yet.
Can you get both?
Yes, in principle. ECO4 and Warm Homes Local Grant are separate schemes with separate funding. You could have loft insulation via ECO4 and a heat pump via Warm Homes, for example. However, you can't get the same measure funded twice by both schemes.
In practice, the most common route is ECO4 for insulation (which it handles very well) and then Warm Homes for renewable energy upgrades (where its scope is broader).
What about Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
Scotland: Home Energy Scotland offers grants and interest-free loans for insulation, heat pumps and renewables. It overlaps with ECO4 (which also covers Scotland) but is administered separately through Energy Saving Trust. Scottish households should check both.
Wales: Nest (Warm Homes Wales) provides free home improvements for eligible households. ECO4 also covers Wales. Again, both are worth checking.
Northern Ireland: The Affordable Warmth Scheme (NI Housing Executive) is the closest equivalent. ECO4 does not cover Northern Ireland.
What to do right now
- Check your EPC. If you don't have one, get one (£60–£120 at gov.uk/find-energy-certificate). Both schemes require EPC D or below.
- Run our grants eligibility checker to see which schemes you likely qualify for.
- Apply for ECO4 now. It's the most urgent. Start at gov.uk/energy-grants-calculator or contact your energy supplier directly.
- Contact your council about the Warm Homes Local Grant for anything ECO4 doesn't cover.
Updated 28 April 2026. Scheme eligibility and council availability change regularly — always confirm with the scheme administrator.