Energy Grants in Liverpool

Energy Grants & Fuel Poverty in Liverpool

Liverpool's relationship with its housing stock is unlike any other English city. The city lost 40% of its population between 1931 and 2001, leaving entire neighbourhoods of Victorian terraces empty. While population has recovered since, the legacy is a housing stock where 42% of all properties are terraced — the highest proportion of any major English city. These terraces, built with solid 9-inch brick walls and slate roofs, were designed for an era of cheap coal. Today, they are among the most expensive properties to heat in the country, with annual gas bills often exceeding £2,000 for an unrenovated three-bedroom terrace.

Liverpool has the highest concentration of pre-1919 terraced housing of any major English city, with 42% of all properties being terraced houses.

How ECO4 Works in Liverpool

The Liverpool City Region Retrofit Hub represents a £30m, cross-authority partnership covering all six Merseyside councils. This collaborative model allows bulk procurement of insulation materials and shared quality assurance frameworks. For Liverpool residents, the practical benefit is significant: rather than navigating the ECO4 system individually, households are identified through area-based targeting. Energy Projects Plus, the Merseyside-wide energy advice charity, employs community link workers embedded in GP surgeries, food banks, and children's centres across Liverpool 8 (Toxteth) and Liverpool 4 (Anfield/Everton). These workers proactively identify eligible households and manage the entire application process.

Available Grants in Liverpool

Residents in the Liverpool 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 Liverpool, 7,180 ECO4 measures have been installed to date, with External wall insulation (29%) 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 Liverpool

Liverpool's street-by-street external wall insulation programme has physically transformed neighbourhoods. In Welsh Streets (the birthplace of Ringo Starr) and the Granby Triangle, entire terraces have been wrapped in external insulation and rendered, creating a distinctive modern appearance while cutting heat loss by up to 60%. The council's approach treats energy retrofit as neighbourhood regeneration — not just insulation, but new streetscaping, improved drainage, and community gardens installed alongside the energy works. This holistic model has won national recognition and attracted visits from councils across the UK seeking to replicate the approach.

EPC Ratings in Liverpool

Based on analysis of 187,600 EPC certificates in the Liverpool City Council area:

59% of assessed properties in Liverpool 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 17.1% affects approximately 38,400 households, significantly above the national average of 13.1%.

Housing Stock Profile

The Liverpool area has 224,400 households. The most common construction type is Victorian terraces with solid 9-inch brick walls, with an average build year of 1932.

Type	Share
Terraced	42%
Flat	24%
Semi-detached	22%
Detached	7%
Bungalow	5%

Most Common ECO4 Measures in Liverpool

Based on 7,180 installations to date:

• External wall insulation
• Loft insulation
• Boiler replacement
• First-time central heating

Average annual energy bill saving after ECO4 improvements: £710

LA Flex Eligibility — Liverpool

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 Liverpool

There are 108 TrustMark-registered installers and 28 MCS-certified renewable energy installers serving the Liverpool area. All ECO4 work must be carried out by TrustMark-registered contractors working to PAS 2030/2035 quality standards.

Key areas served: Toxteth, Everton, Anfield, Kensington, Wavertree

Liverpool Energy Strategy

Liverpool's Climate Action Strategy targets net zero by 2040. The city is part of the Liverpool City Region Retrofit Hub, a £30m partnership covering all 6 Merseyside authorities.

How to Apply in Liverpool

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 Liverpool
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 Liverpool City Council directly: https://www.liverpool.gov.uk/housing/energy-and-insulation/ or call 0151 233 3000.

Frequently Asked Questions — Liverpool