Energy Grants in Leicester

Energy Grants & Fuel Poverty in Leicester

Leicester's energy efficiency challenge is rooted in its textile industry heritage. The city that once powered Britain's hosiery and knitwear industry was built around its mills, and the workers' cottages in Highfields, Belgrave, and Spinney Hills reflect that era. These compact two-up-two-down terraces, many with solid 9-inch red brick walls, house some of Leicester's most diverse communities — the city's large South Asian population, predominantly in the Belgrave Road corridor, lives in some of the least energy-efficient housing in the East Midlands. With 16.2% of households in fuel poverty, Leicester's challenge is both an energy issue and a health equity issue.

Leicester's Sustainable Warmth programme has upgraded 3,200 private homes since 2022 — one of the highest-performing retrofit programmes in the East Midlands.

How ECO4 Works in Leicester

Leicester's private rented sector focus distinguishes its LA Flex scheme from many other councils. Recognising that a significant proportion of fuel-poor households in Leicester are private tenants (often in Victorian terraced HMOs), the council has created a pathway allowing landlords to apply for ECO4 measures on behalf of qualifying tenants. This landlord-tenant coordination removes one of the biggest barriers to ECO4 uptake in the PRS: the split incentive problem (where the tenant pays the energy bills but the landlord would need to invest in improvements). Parity Projects, the council's technical delivery partner, provides landlords with a whole-house retrofit plan and manages contractor procurement, making the process as straightforward as possible for both parties.

Available Grants in Leicester

Residents in the Leicester City Council area can access several government-funded energy efficiency schemes:

ECO4 Scheme

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) provides 100% free energy improvements to households receiving qualifying benefits. Measures include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, boiler replacements, solar panels, and air source heat pumps. Your property needs an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G. In Leicester, 4,230 ECO4 measures have been installed to date, with External wall insulation (28%) being the most common.

Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)

The GBIS provides free or heavily subsidised insulation to properties in council tax bands A-D (England). No means test is required — eligibility is based on your property, not your income.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers £7,500 towards an air source heat pump or £5,000 towards a ground source heat pump. Available to all homeowners in England and Wales with a valid EPC certificate.

Warm Home Discount

A £150 discount on your electricity bill each winter. Most eligible households receive this automatically.

Local Energy Efficiency in Leicester

The Sustainable Warmth programme has been Leicester's primary vehicle for large-scale retrofit since 2022. Combining Local Authority Delivery (LAD) and Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) funding alongside ECO4, the programme has upgraded 3,200 private sector homes — making it one of the most productive retrofit programmes of any East Midlands authority. Leicester's approach is data-driven: the council's GIS mapping system overlays EPC data, fuel poverty indices, and health deprivation data to identify streets where intervention will have the greatest impact. In Highfields, this analysis identified 14 streets where average EPC ratings have improved from E to C since the programme began — a remarkable transformation achieved without displacing any residents from their homes.

EPC Ratings in Leicester

Based on analysis of 122,400 EPC certificates in the Leicester City Council area:

57% of assessed properties in Leicester have an EPC rating of D or below — well above the national average, indicating significant scope for energy improvements. The area's fuel poverty rate of 16.2% affects approximately 23,100 households, significantly above the national average of 13.1%.

Housing Stock Profile

The Leicester area has 142,800 households. The most common construction type is Red brick Victorian/Edwardian terraces, with an average build year of 1942.

Type	Share
Terraced	38%
Semi-detached	28%
Detached	12%
Flat	16%
Bungalow	6%

Most Common ECO4 Measures in Leicester

Based on 4,230 installations to date:

• External wall insulation
• Loft insulation
• Boiler replacement
• Cavity wall insulation

Average annual energy bill saving after ECO4 improvements: £650

LA Flex Eligibility — Leicester

Even if you don't receive qualifying benefits, you may still qualify for ECO4 through the Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex) route.

Local Installers in Leicester

There are 45 TrustMark-registered installers and 14 MCS-certified renewable energy installers serving the Leicester area. All ECO4 work must be carried out by TrustMark-registered contractors working to PAS 2030/2035 quality standards.

Key areas served: Highfields, Belgrave, Spinney Hills, Braunstone, New Parks

Leicester Energy Strategy

Climate Emergency Action Plan targets net zero by 2030. Sustainable Warmth programme retrofitted 3,200 private homes since 2022 using LAD and HUG.

How to Apply in Leicester

1. Check your eligibility — Enter your postcode above or use our eligibility checker
2. Get matched with local installers — We'll connect you with TrustMark-registered, PAS 2030/2035-certified installers in Leicester
3. Free home survey — An assessor visits to evaluate your property and recommend measures
4. Installation — Approved contractors carry out the work at no cost, usually within 4-8 weeks

You can also contact Leicester City Council directly: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/planning-and-building/energy-efficiency/ or call 0116 454 1000.

Frequently Asked Questions — Leicester