We could insulate your home for free through the ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme
If your home is poorly insulated, did you know that up to 35% of the energy you use could be escaping through the walls, roof and floor?
Free insulation grants in England, Wales and Scotland
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Great British Insulation Schemes are government schemes which aim to reduce fuel poverty across England, Wales and Scotland and is funded by the largest utility companies in the UK.
Working with our partner companies throughout England, Wales and Scotland we can help you to access this free funding, reducing your fuel bills and making your home warmer and reducing condensation, damp and mould.
What grants are available?
The ECO scheme has been running since January 2013 and is now known as ECO4.
The Great British Insulation Scheme has been running since mid-2023.
Not every household can apply and there are certain criteria which have to be met in order to qualify for the scheme. The ECO grants are not repayable and for most installs will cover the whole cost of the installation.
The ECO scheme will pay for the following types of insulation:
- Loft Insulation
- Cavity Wall Insulation
- Internal solid wall insulation
- External solid wall insulation
- Room in Roof Insulation
- Flat Roof Insulation
The government recognises that the cheapest form of energy is the energy that you don’t use and the easiest way of doing this is to insulate your home to the highest standards.
As a result, ECO4 is geared towards installing insulation first and, if any further savings can be made by improving heating, this can also be done through the scheme.
Do I qualify for a grant?
In order to qualify for free cavity wall insulation, internal wall insulation, external wall insulation, loft insulation, room in roof insulation or flat roof insulation, you (or your tenant if you are a landlord), must be in receipt of one of the benefits listed below:
I’m not receiving one of these benefits, can I be helped?
Up to 50% of energy efficiency measures installed in England, Wales and Scotland can be completed through the ECO4 Flex scheme and is for households whose combined gross income is below £31,000 per year or if you have certain health conditions which would make you vulnerable to the cold.
The ECO4 Flex scheme is administered by Local Authorities who are responsible for rolling it out in your area and they will verify your income or health eligibility. It is rolling out slowly and is expected to be fully live by April 2023.
We will check as part of your application if your area is now open for applications.
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Applying for a grant is easy
Apply
Complete our online application form and we will check that you qualify for free insulation through the government ECO4 scheme and advise you if you qualify for any other energy reducing measures
Survey
Once we have confirmed that you qualify, we will arrange a free, no obligation survey to ensure that the right materials are used and provide you with an idea of how much energy can be saved
Installed
The installation of your free insulation will be carried out by experienced and fully trained installers who are accredited by the manufacturer for the installation of the products that are to be used
What are the different insulation types?
Free Loft Insulation
As much as 25% of heat lost from poorlyinsulated homes escapes through the roof.
If your home has 100mm of less of loft insulation you will qualify (subject to qualification criteria) and we will be able to complete a top up to any loft which does not meet the minimum amount required in the Building Regulations of 270mm.
We will lay loft insulation quilt between and over the joists to bring your roof up to the current standard.
We do not use spray foam as this has been shown to be detrimental to many properties.
Free Cavity Wall Insulation
For over 100 years, beginning around 1920 the majority of homes built have a cavity between the inside and outside walls. By filling this cavity you can improve the efficiency of your home and reduce condensation and mould.
Before completing any insulation works on your cavity wall, a full survey will be completed to ensure that your home is suitable for cavity wall insulation.
If it is found that your home is not suitable for cavity wall insulation we can arrange for insulation to be carried out either internally or externally instead.
Free internal solid wall insulation
If your house was built up to the early 1930’s you may live in a solid wall property.
Up to 35% of the heat in your home escapes through the external walls of your home, so, one of the easiest ways to save money is to insulate your exterior facing walls.
Having solid walls does not mean that you cannot benefit from insulation. Internal wall insulation is one of the most popular ways of insulating walls and is also suitable for cavity and timber framed properties which are not suitable for cavity wall insulation. This is achieved with either breathable mineral wool or rigid boards depending on the construction of your property.
Best of all, you could receive this for free along with other insulation if required.
Free external solid wall insulation
An alternative to internal solid wall insulation is external wall insulation which can also help to improve the aesthetic value of your home and give a modern appearance to an older property.
External wall insulation involves fixing a layer of insulation material – as shown in the photo – to the outside of your property.
This is then finished with a range of finishes which can be textured, smooth, painted, pebble dash or even finished with brick slips to make it look like you’ve got a brand new brick wall.
The advantage of external wall insulation is less disruption, however, it is more expensive so you may be asked to make a contribution.
Free Room in the Roof Insulation
If the roof space in your home has been converted for use as a bedroom or other use you may find that it is too cold in winter and too warm in the summer.
This is because many rooms in the roof were completed when insulation standards were lower and, in many cases there is no insulation at all.
Provided your room in the roof is accessed via a fixed staircase (not a pull down ladder) we can insulate your room in the roof and make it a more usable, comfortable room all year round.
Free Flat Roof Insulation
Just like a pitched roof, up to 25% of the heat that escapes from your home is lost via the roof.
Many flat roofs lack any form of insulation and can be easily brought up to current building regulations, saving you substantial amounts of money on your energy bills.
The best bit is, not only will you be saving money on your fuel bills but you will also get a refurbished roof which will be good for many more years with very little disruption to you.
If you are receiving loft or room in the roof insulation, we will automatically check any flat roof extensions for upgrades, so you will benefit even if you only have a smaller extension with a flat roof.
How much can I save by insulating my home?
A poorly insulated home loses most of its heat through the walls and roof. Around 25% is lost via the roof and 35% through uninsulated walls. Without proper insulation, heat is escaping as soon as you switch your heating on.
By insulating your home you will be able to keep much more of the heat in and therefore reduce your bills substantially. According to the Energy Saving Trust you could make savings such as those shown below:
