Warm Homes Local Grant 2026: Who Qualifies and How to Apply
The Warm Homes: Local Grant is a council delivered grant in England for low income homes rated EPC D to G. You qualify through a household income of £36,000 or less, a means tested benefit or an eligible postcode. It pays for insulation, heat pumps and solar, not gas boilers, and runs until 31 March 2028.
Last updated:
- Council grant for low income homes rated EPC D to G
- Pays for insulation, heat pumps and solar, not gas boilers
- Runs until 31 March 2028
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£36,000
Income route
Gross household income or less
3
Ways to qualify
Postcode, benefits or income
EPC D to G
Home rating
GOV.UK policy guidance
31 Mar 2028
Runs until
DESNZ: dates subject to change
What is the Warm Homes Local Grant, and is it really free?
The Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme is a council delivered grant in England for low income homes rated EPC D to G. You qualify through a household income of £36,000 or less, a means tested benefit, or an eligible postcode. It pays for insulation, heat pumps, solar panels and smart controls, but not gas boilers. It runs until 31 March 2028.
The Warm Homes Local Grant is a government grant, funded by DESNZ and run by councils, that upgrades low income homes in England at no cost to owner occupiers. If you rent, your landlord may need to pay part of the cost.
You may also see it called the Warm Homes grant or the warmer homes grant. It is not the same as Warmer Homes Scotland.
- Part of: the warm homes plan, the government's wider programme.
- Replaced: the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2), which officially closed in March 2025.
- Runs: from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028, though DESNZ says dates are “subject to change”.
Warm Homes Local Grant eligibility: the 3 ways to qualify
For Warm Homes grant eligibility, you need to meet just one of these three routes. Your home must also qualify (see the next section).
The three routes into the grant
| Route | Who qualifies | Income check? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Postcode | You live in an eligible postcode: one of the 20% most income deprived areas in England (Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) income deciles 1 and 2) | No |
| 2. Benefits | Someone in your home gets Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, income based JSA or income related ESA | No |
| 3. Income | Gross household income of £36,000 or less, or under the After Housing Costs limit for your household | Yes |
Benefits held by lodgers or by adults in full time education do not count. If your home is rated EPC E to G, you can also qualify by showing two signs of financial hardship from your council's LA Flex list.
Warm Homes Local Grant eligible postcodes: the list changed in 2026
Eligible postcodes are listed in an official GOV.UK spreadsheet, updated in February 2026. You can also ask us to check your postcode for you.
The list changed in 2026. Postcodes based on the older 2019 data were only valid until the end of the 2025/26 delivery year, so check the new list even if you were eligible before.
How is household income worked out? Some income doesn't count
- Use income before tax and other deductions.
- Add the income of every adult in the home, except adults in full time education.
- A lodger's income does not count, but rent you receive from a lodger does.
- Disability benefits do not count, including PIP, DLA, Attendance Allowance and Armed Forces Independence Payment.
Earn over £36,000? After Housing Costs income limits could still get you in
If your income is over £36,000, you may still qualify if your income after housing costs (such as rent or mortgage) is under these limits:
After housing costs income limits by household
| Household | Income limit after housing costs |
|---|---|
| 1 adult with 0 to 2 children | £20,000 |
| 1 adult with 3 children | £23,600 |
| 1 adult with 4 children | £27,600 |
| 1 adult with 5 children | £31,600 |
| 2 adults with no children | £20,000 |
| 2 adults with 1 child | £24,000 |
| 2 adults with 2 children | £28,000 |
| 2 adults with 3 children | £32,000 |
| 2 adults with 4 children | £36,000 |
| 2 adults with 5 children | £40,000 |
Source: Tables 6 and 7 of the July 2026 policy guidance. DESNZ says the income limit “will be kept under review”.
Which homes qualify? Gas heated homes can too
Your home qualifies if it is in England, privately owned, and has a poor energy rating.
- Where: England only.
- Who owns it: owner occupied or privately rented. Council and housing association homes cannot apply, because the home must be privately owned.
- Energy rating: Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band D, E, F or G.
- Gas heated homes: still eligible. The grant just will not fit a new gas boiler.
- Rented homes rated F or G: the landlord must have a registered exemption first.
What does the Warm Homes grant pay for?
The grant pays for upgrades that make your home warmer and cheaper to heat, and GOV.UK says “You will not need to pay for it”.
- Insulation: wall, loft and underfloor
- Low carbon heating: air source heat pumps and high heat retention storage heaters
- Solar panels, batteries and smart controls
How much can the grant pay? It is not a fixed £16,600
Since July 2026, there are two caps, each £16,600:
Local Grant cost caps by type of upgrade
| Cap | Amount | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Energy performance | £16,600 | Insulation, solar panels, smart controls, batteries |
| Low carbon heat | £16,600 | Heat pumps, high heat retention storage heaters |
These caps are an average per home across your council's project, not a fixed amount for each home. Your home may get more or less, depending on what the survey finds.
The caps were raised from £15,000 each in July 2026. Some council pages still show the older figures, so your council has the final say.
Does the grant cover gas boilers? No, but there is another route
No. The guidance says “new gas boilers cannot be funded by the Warm Homes: Local Grant”, and any measure is eligible “except for fossil fuel heating”.
- Integrated and compact hybrid heat pumps are not funded.
- With other hybrid systems, only the heat pump part is funded.
- Connections to heat networks are “not currently eligible”.
If your boiler is broken and cannot be economically repaired, ECO4 may still replace it. ECO4 runs from 1 April 2022 to 31 December 2026, so the work must be finished by then. See how much time is left in our ECO4 extension page.
Boiler broken? Get a free survey.
Warm Homes Local Grant for landlords: only your first property is fully funded
Private landlords can use the grant for rented homes, but only the first property is fully funded.
Landlord funding per property
| Property | Grant | Landlord pays |
|---|---|---|
| First property | 100% of the cost, up to £33,200 on average | Nothing |
| Second and later properties | 50% of the cost, up to £16,600 on average | At least 50% of the cost |
- Councils confirm the exact amounts. Some still show the older figures. Bolton Council in Greater Manchester, for example, lists up to £30,000 for a first home and up to £15,000 for later homes (checked 1 November 2026).
- There is no limit on how many properties you own.
- You sign a declaration, and agree not to raise the rent because of the upgrades.
- The total public funding your business gets, including this grant, must stay under £315,000 over three years (the Minimal Financial Assistance limit).
- Homes rated EPC F or G need a registered exemption, and the grant cannot be used to meet existing legal minimums.
- Tenants are “not required or expected to make any contributions”.
- DESNZ may remove privately rented homes from the scheme later.
How do you apply for the Warm Homes Local Grant? 4 steps
We help you apply, and your council takes it from there:
- Apply with our help: call us on 07599 995537 or use our free check at the top of this page. We fill in the application form with you and help you gather your documents. We are not the council or the government.
- Your council contacts you: usually within 10 working days, to ask for more information.
- Home survey: an assessor checks which upgrades your home needs.
- Installation: your council arranges and pays for the agreed work.
Under the Warm Homes Local Grant, your council chooses the installers. Heat pumps always need an MCS certified installer.
Questions before you apply?
Is your council still taking applications? Some have already closed
It depends on your council. Funding is limited, and several councils have already closed or started waiting lists for this year.
Council status, checked 20 October 2026
| Council | Status | What their website says |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | Closed for year two | “This scheme is now oversubscribed for year two” |
| Leicestershire (county, not Leicester City) | Closed | “not accepting new applications at this time” |
| Sheffield | Open, with local priorities | “Due to high demand, we will also be applying local priorities” |
Greater Manchester and the West Midlands have their own separate funding. Ask us to check whether your council has funding.
Grant news by area
Each council runs its own scheme, so the funding, installers and waiting times differ. See what is happening in London, Manchester and Newcastle, or ask us to check which scheme covers your postcode.
Scheme dates: when does the Warm Homes Local Grant end?
These are the dates that matter, based on the latest official updates:
- 1 April 2025: the grant starts, replacing the Home Upgrade Grant.
- July 2026: the two cost caps rise from £15,000 to £16,600 each.
- 2027/28: the Warm Homes Plan says the Local Grant will join the Social Housing Fund in a single low income scheme.
- 31 March 2028: the current grant period is due to end, though DESNZ says dates are “subject to change”.
Can you combine it with ECO4 or the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Yes, but not for the same upgrade. The guidance says funding “must not be blended simultaneously to install the same individual measure” with ECO or the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
- You can get different upgrades from different schemes, for example a heat pump under this grant and wall insulation under ECO4.
- ECO4 work must happen “wholly after or wholly before” the Local Grant work.
- Not eligible here? Owners on any income can still get £7,500 off a heat pump. See our heat pump grant page.
Who will not qualify? 6 reasons you could be turned down
You are unlikely to get this grant if:
- You live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
- Your home is rated EPC A, B or C.
- You are not in an eligible postcode, not on a qualifying benefit, and your income is over both limits.
- You want a new gas boiler.
- You rent from a council or housing association and want to apply yourself.
- Your council has closed applications for this year.
Warm Homes grant: common questions
Is the Warm Homes grant still available?
Yes, until 31 March 2028, but only where your council still has funding. Some councils, including Liverpool and Leicestershire, are not taking new applications for now.
How much is a Warm Homes grant?
There are two caps of £16,600 each, one for insulation and solar and one for heat pumps. They are averages per home, so your survey decides the real amount.
How long does it take?
Your council usually contacts you within 10 working days. After that, timing depends on the survey, the installer and your council's waiting list.
Can I get solar panels with the Warm Homes grant?
Yes, solar panels are funded under the energy performance cap. Read our page on free solar panels for other options.
Is the Warm Homes grant available in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?
No, it is England only. Wales has the Nest scheme instead, and Northern Ireland has the Affordable Warmth Scheme. If you live in Scotland, read our guide to boiler grants scotland.
Can pensioners get the Warm Homes grant?
Yes, if the home qualifies. Pension Credit is one of the qualifying benefits, so a pensioner who gets it does not need to pass the income test. The home must still be in England, privately owned or rented, and rated EPC D to G.
Can landlords apply?
Yes. A landlord can get the grant for a privately rented home when the tenant's household qualifies. The first property is fully funded, and later properties are 50% funded. The landlord section above has the details.
Does the Warm Homes Local Grant cover boilers?
Not gas boilers. It pays for heat pumps, high heat retention storage heaters, insulation, solar panels and smart controls. For a new gas boiler, ECO4 is the last route, until 31 December 2026.
Looking beyond council grants? The FreeBoilerUpgrade.uk home page covers every route.
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Sources
- DESNZ: Warm Homes: Local Grant policy guidance, July 2026 (PDF)
- GOV.UK: Warm Homes: Local Grant eligible postcodes 2026
- GOV.UK: Warm Homes: Local Grant successful local authorities
- GOV.UK: LAD and HUG statistics, November 2025
- Liverpool City Council, Leicestershire County Council and Warm Homes Sheffield, checked 20 October 2026
- Bolton Council (Greater Manchester): Warm Homes grant amounts, checked 1 November 2026
About This Page
FreeBoilerUpgrade.uk is an installer run by Reliant Energy Solutions Ltd (No. 16100301), incorporated on 25 November 2024. Every boiler is fitted by a Gas Safe registered engineer. We are not part of the government or Ofgem.
- Company: Reliant Energy Solutions Ltd, company number 16100301, address 16 Suite, Turner Business Centre, Middleton, Manchester M24 1RU
- Phone: 07599 995537
- Email: info@freeboilerupgrade.uk
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