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Exploring the options for home improvement can often seem complicated. Especially when it comes to energy changes and insulation. Imagine how surprised those people would be when they get free home insulation. Thanks to specific government-backed free home insulation schemes!
Government-led schemes are available in the UK for eligible households to help insulate their homes for free. And you can save hundreds of pounds in energy bills annually through the free insulation grants. The Great British Scheme ( ECO+) is one of the most proactive schemes. It aims to provide free home insulation to low-income families. Living in a home with a low energy performance rating can make you eligible for the Great British Insulation scheme. Read ahead to find out who is entitled to free home insulation.
Are There Any Government Grants for Insulation
The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS), formerly the ECO+, is an energy-efficiency government insulation grant plan. It is led by the UK government and managed by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem).
The scheme is meant to help the UK’s smallest energy-efficient homes fight fuel poverty and lower their carbon footprint by offering domestic insulation updates such as free loft and wall insulation. Qualifying homes undergo a house inspection, from which a decision is made on the most effective insulation step per household.
Unlike the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme, the Great British Insulation scheme offers a single insulation measure per qualified home. Most often, these are government funds for wall insulation. In comparison, the ECO4 scheme offers complete energy-saving changes.
What Free Home Insulation Funding Can You Get?
For several years, qualified homes have gained from free or paid energy-efficient home improvements through the ECO4 scheme. The scheme was introduced to help low-income and needy families heat their homes.
In July 2023, the Government launched the Great British Insulation Scheme (ECO+), open to 400,000 more homes that were not previously qualified for the ECO4 scheme.
The government has given a massive budget of £1 billion to promote home energy saving in the UK. It is set to drive the scheme until March 2026. The Great British Insulation Scheme hopes to bring the UK closer to its lofty net zero by 2050 goal.
- The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is a UK government project to improve the insulation of fuel-poor and energy-inefficient homes.
- Qualifying homes can receive free or reduced-cost insulation improvements.
- The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is operating until March 2026.
With energy costs rising across the UK, winters are becoming more complex as families struggle to keep up with heating costs. Surprisingly, the most significant cause behind this trend is hardly the cost of energy but bad home insulation, an all-too-common fact across the UK.
It’s no secret that the UK home stock is one of the least energy-efficient in Europe. A study says that all homes built before the 1990s and up to 75% of houses built before 2010 are thought to have poor housing insulation. That’s why the UK government is set to help fuel-poor and energy-inefficient homes through insulation plans, namely, the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS).
Free Home Insulation Measures Available Under GBIS
Under GBIS, the enormous energy providers and local authorities must give away £1,000s of energy-efficient home improvements to households across the UK. The Great British Insulation Scheme offers free home insulation to families with low energy performance ratings in eligible households.
These free insulation measures can include:
- Loft Insulation
- Room-In-Roof Insulation
- Pitched Roof Insulation
- Flat Roof Insulation
- Underfloor Insulation
- Solid Floor Insulation
- Solid Wall insulation
- External Wall Insulation
- Internal Wall Insulation
You may be eligible for funding for one or several of these measures. That can significantly impact your energy bills.
Explore Who Is Entitled to Free Home Insulation
Applicants must meet several qualification criteria for free home insulation under the GBIS. That will determine their eligibility for the free grant scheme.
This criterion considers your income, your home’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, whether you receive government assistance, and other benefits to indicate whether you require such assistance.
Low-income Households
While the Great British Insulation Scheme does not directly explain what qualifies as a low-income household, the threshold is a total gross household income of less than £31,000 a year.
A household’s low-income standing can also be chosen based on its council tax band range. Council tax bands determine how much council tax you pay based on your home value.
Households within the council tax bands A to D in England and A to E in Scotland and Wales can qualify for help through the Great British Insulation Scheme.
Pensioners and those over 70 can still get free insulation even if they don’t meet the grant application standards. While age alone isn’t a qualifying factor, retirees can receive help if they belong to one of two groups: the low-income group or the general group.
Low-income Group
- Annual gross income below £31,000.
- Home EPC value of E and below (private renters) or D and below (homeowners).
- Recipients of means-tested payments (e.g., Pension Credit Savings, Pension Credit Guarantee).
- Social housing people are exposed to cold weather (age can be a problem here)
General Group
- Homeowners who qualify for council tax band A – D in England or A – E in Scotland and Wales. And have an EPC grade of D or below.
EPC Rating of D or Below
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating assesses your home’s energy efficiency. It lets you understand how much energy your house utilises and its associated environmental effect. EPC score ranges from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient).
For the Great British Insulation Scheme, the EPC rating qualifying range changes whether you own or rent your home:
- Private house renters: EPC rating of D or E.
- Homeowners: EPC rating of D to G.
If you don’t know your house’s EPC rating, you may request an examination with a qualified housing assessor via the UK government web. Many skilled insulation installers can undertake an EPC evaluation of your house.
If you are a homeowner, your property’s EPC rating is not the only factor that counts. As noted in the preceding section, you must qualify for the relevant council tax band ranges.
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How Can You Benefit From the Government Insulation Scheme?
Government-free home insulation schemes can improve your house and lifestyle. It will also eliminate the hefty cost of house insulation. Sound insulation will bring many benefits for you. As well as for the environment for years. Here are only several to consider:
- Reduced energy bills: Full home insulation can reduce domestic heat loss by up to 60%. It will save you upwards of £650 on your annual energy bills.
- Smaller carbon footprint: Efficiently insulating your home can reduce domestic carbon emissions by up to 1.7 tonnes yearly. As well as contributing to a healthier planet.
- Better home health: Moisture-laden homes breed mould and rot. That harms your home’s structural integrity and health. And it can increase the risk of respiratory illnesses and asthma. Insulated houses provide a balanced inside environment. That preserves your well-being.
- Higher property value: An insulated house often has a more excellent market value. This is due to a better Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) score. That you acquire via insulation. It makes your property more desirable to prospective buyers and tenants.
Summary
Insulating your home is one of the best ways to reduce energy bills by preventing heat loss from your walls and roof. However, it can be a significant upfront expense many people can’t afford.
The Great British Insulation Scheme is a government-funded project. It aims to help qualified groups of people put insulation in their homes. Homes can save around £300 annually on energy bills. The fund is allocated to help around 300,000 people. That means free home insulation.
Unlike other schemes, the Great British Insulation Scheme will help those with the lowest wages. And it also supports more prominent families living in the country’s least energy-efficient homes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) will do just that by installing free home insulation. It helps you to save an average yearly energy cost of £2101. Savings depend on a semi-detached house, and qualifying requirements will apply.
To be entitled to free home insulation under the Great British Insulation Scheme, you must live in a home with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or below. And you have to live within Council Tax bands A-D in England or A-E in Scotland and Wales.
You can visit berksinsulation.com if you live in England or Wales.
One of our reputable installers will conduct the survey and install it.
Our insulation provider suggests it will be based on what will lower your energy use rather than your taste. The installer will survey your home to determine what improvement measures suit it best for energy savings.
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