The short answer: yes, Northern Ireland homes can still get insulation free in 2026, but not through the GB schemes. Two routes do the work here. NISEP fully funds loft and cavity wall insulation for owner occupiers with household income under £33,000 (single) or £40,000 (couple or family), and pays 40% for other owners and private tenants. The Housing Executive's Affordable Warmth Scheme pays up to £7,500 (£10,000 for solid walls) if your gross income is under £23,000.
On top of that, insulation fitted in an NI home carries 0% VAT until 31 March 2027. ECO4, the Great British Insulation Scheme and the Warm Homes: Local Grant don't cover Northern Ireland. Everything below was checked on primary sources on 1 November 2026.
Insulation grants in Northern Ireland: what's open in 2026
Every NI insulation route we could confirm on primary sources on 1 November 2026, including what's closed or full. Your household income decides where you start.
| Route | What you get | Who it's for | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordable Warmth Scheme (Housing Executive) | Up to £7,500 for insulation, heating and windows; up to £10,000 where solid wall insulation is needed | Owner occupiers and private tenants with gross household income under £23,000 | Open, subject to funding. Apply through NI Energy Advice |
| NISEP fully funded insulation | Cavity wall and loft insulation, plus draught proofing and small extras. Fully funded | Owner occupiers under £33,000 gross (single) or £40,000 (couple or family) | Open for 2026/27 while funds last, to 31 March 2027 |
| NISEP heating and insulation | New efficient heating plus cavity and loft insulation (or solid wall insulation). Fully funded | Owner occupiers under £28,000 (single) or £35,000 (couple or family) with old, broken or no central heating | Open while funds last; Toasty Homes Fully Funded is listed as closed |
| NISEP part funded insulation | 40% towards cavity or loft insulation: up to £650 per measure, up to £1,000 for cavity extraction and refill | Owner occupiers and private tenants on any income who don't qualify for other NISEP schemes | Open while funds last; one scheme has a waiting list |
| Zero VAT on insulation | No VAT on insulation installed in your home | Every NI home | Open to 31 March 2027, then 5% |
| Warm Healthy Homes Fund | Replacement for Affordable Warmth | Lower-income owner occupiers and private renters | Planned for April 2027; details not yet published |
Closed and waiting-list notes are from the Utility Regulator's April 2026 NISEP list; each scheme manager can confirm where a scheme stands now. Sources: the Housing Executive, the Utility Regulator's NISEP list of schemes for 2026/27, the Department for Communities and HMRC Notice 708/6. Full links below.
Affordable Warmth Scheme: up to £7,500, or £10,000 for solid walls
The Affordable Warmth Scheme is Northern Ireland's main home energy grant for lower-income households. The Department for Communities funds it and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive runs it. It pays up to £7,500, or up to £10,000 if your home has solid walls that need insulating, and the Housing Executive says you should not have to contribute to the work it agrees.
Who qualifies for Affordable Warmth
- You live in Northern Ireland and own and live in the home as your main residence (a life interest counts), or you rent from a private landlord.
- Your household's total gross income is under £23,000 a year.
- You are not a Housing Executive or housing association tenant, and the property isn't a holiday home, B&B or commercial premises.
What Affordable Warmth pays for, in priority order
| Priority | Measures |
|---|---|
| 1. Insulation and draught-proofing | Loft insulation fitted or topped up to 300mm, cavity wall insulation (if suitable), removal and replacement of cavity insulation that isn't working, roof and eaves ventilation, a hot water cylinder jacket, draught-proofing doors and windows |
| 2. Heating | Replacing solid fuel, LPG or Economy 7 with gas or oil central heating; a replacement boiler where yours is at least 15 years old and the householder is over 65, has a child getting Child Benefit or Kinship payments, or gets DLA, PIP, Attendance Allowance or Industrial Injuries Benefit |
| 3. Windows | Replacing single-glazed windows |
| 4. Solid wall insulation | Detached properties only, after the other measures |
The Housing Executive takes a whole-house approach: work is done in priority order, and money can't be moved between measures. Cavity and solid wall installers must give at least a 25-year guarantee.
How to apply for Affordable Warmth
- Call NI Energy Advice free on 0800 111 44 55. If your household meets the entry rules, they send you an application form.
- Return the form to your local Grant Office with proof of ownership or private tenancy, that it's your main home, and your income: wage slips, benefit award letters, bank statements.
- A technical officer surveys your home (up to about an hour). For cavity walls they may drill small holes to check the cavity with a camera, with your signed permission.
- Wait for written approval before any work starts. It sets out the grant, the measures and a deadline, usually three months.
- You appoint the contractor. If an estimate is higher than the grant, the Housing Executive recommends getting at least three.
Renting privately? You can qualify, but your landlord must agree to the work, be registered with the Department for Communities' Landlord Registration Scheme, and pay 50% of the cost. Grants are subject to funding being available.
Free loft and cavity wall insulation through NISEP
The Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP) is paid for by every NI electricity customer through a levy on bills, and administered by the Energy Saving Trust on behalf of the NI Utility Regulator. Its 2026/27 year runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, or until funds run out. Its income limits are higher than Affordable Warmth's, and NISEP is aimed at households who don't qualify for Affordable Warmth. The stakes are real: NISEP's own guide says about a quarter of a home's heat escapes through an uninsulated roof, and about a third through uninsulated walls.
Fully funded insulation: owner occupiers under £33,000 or £40,000
| NISEP scheme (2026/27) | Scheme manager | Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Keep Warm Scheme | Workspace Ltd | Cavity wall and/or loft insulation |
| Thermal Comfort | Energystore Ltd | Cavity wall and/or loft insulation |
| Efficiency Plus Fully Funded Insulation | Phoenix Energy (apply via Refresh NI) | Cavity wall and/or loft insulation |
| Insulate Homes Scheme | Bluebuild | Cavity wall and/or loft insulation |
All four: owner occupiers anywhere in NI, single-person household income or pension under £33,000 gross, or under £40,000 for a couple, joint or single-parent household. Three of the four exclude Housing Executive leaseholders (owners in blocks where the Housing Executive owns the shared areas). LED bulbs, an eco shower head, a cylinder jacket, radiator panels and draught-proofing are added if needed. Contact details for each scheme manager are in the Utility Regulator: NISEP list of schemes, April 2026 to March 2027 (PDF). Apply to them, not to us.
Heating and insulation together: owner occupiers under £28,000 or £35,000
If your home has no central heating, solid fuel, an oil or LPG boiler over 15 years old (or broken beyond repair) or old electric storage heaters, NISEP's heating and insulation schemes fit new heating plus loft and cavity insulation, fully funded, for owner occupiers under £28,000 gross (single) or £35,000 (couple or family). Better Energy Homes Plus covers all of NI; Efficiency Plus Fully Funded is for the Phoenix gas area (Greater Belfast, Lisburn, Co. Down, East Antrim, East Down) and Warm at Home Plus for the Evolve area (towns including Dungannon, Enniskillen, Omagh and Strabane). The April list shows Toasty Homes Fully Funded as closed. Earning more? If your heating qualifies for replacement (no central heating, solid fuel, or an oil or LPG boiler over 15 years old or broken), NISEP's part funded heating schemes still fit cavity and loft insulation free for owner occupiers and private tenants under £45,000 (single) or £50,000 (couple or family): you pay 40% of the heating only. Better Energy Homes Cashback (O'Kane) covers all of NI, Efficiency Plus Part Funded the Phoenix area and Warm at Home Cashback the Evolve area; Toasty Homes Part Funded is listed as closed. Want a heat pump and solar too? NISEP's Toasty Homes Heat Pump and Solar scheme is covered in our guide to solar panels and grants for homes in Northern Ireland.
Part funded: 40% off insulation, any income
Don't qualify for the free schemes? Three NISEP schemes pay 40% towards cavity wall or loft insulation for owner occupiers and private tenants on any income: up to £650 per measure, or up to £1,000 to extract and refill failed cavity insulation. They are Keep Warm Discount (Workspace), Help to Insulate (Energystore) and Efficiency Plus Insulation Cashback (Refresh NI), which the April list shows with a waiting list.
NISEP rules that catch people out
- No double funding: if Affordable Warmth or another grant already approved the same measure at your home, or a grant paid for it there in the last 15 years, NISEP won't fund it.
- Flat roofs can't get loft insulation under NISEP, and self-builds, new builds and new extensions aren't eligible.
- Funds are limited per scheme. Scheme managers keep waiting lists, so apply early in the year and ask where you are in the queue.
- Expect a survey and to show income, ownership and every owner's consent.
Solid wall and external wall insulation grants in Northern Ireland
Solid walls cost the most to insulate, and both NI routes treat them separately. Affordable Warmth pays up to £10,000 where solid wall insulation is needed, for detached properties only, once the cheaper measures are done. NISEP's Whole House Warmer Homes NI scheme (Kore Retrofit) fits solid wall insulation, loft insulation and, if needed, new heating, fully funded for owner occupiers under £28,000 (single) or £35,000 (couple or family), after a full building survey confirms the work is viable. For how internal and external wall insulation work, see our solid wall insulation guide (its grant sections cover Great Britain).
Housing Executive tenants, private tenants and landlords
- Housing Executive and housing association tenants: Affordable Warmth isn't open to you, NISEP's insulation schemes are for owner occupiers and private tenants, and the planned Warm Healthy Homes Fund excludes social homes because they're the Housing Executive's responsibility. Raise insulation with your landlord. NI Energy Advice is free for every household, tenants included.
- Private tenants: Affordable Warmth can fund your home if your landlord agrees, is registered, and pays 50%. NISEP's part funded schemes are open to private tenants.
- Landlords: under Affordable Warmth you pay half the cost of the measures for your tenant's home.
Warm Healthy Homes Fund: what replaces Affordable Warmth
The Department for Communities plans a new scheme, the Warm Healthy Homes Fund, to be introduced in April 2027 as its main fuel poverty scheme for private homes. It will replace Affordable Warmth (whose business case runs to March 2028), be run by a managing agent, and focus on lower-income owner occupiers and private renters. The latest modelled estimate DfC cites, from the NI House Condition Survey, put 27% of NI households in fuel poverty in 2022. Income limits and grant amounts haven't been published, so if you qualify now, apply to Affordable Warmth now rather than wait.
Boiler Replacement Scheme NI: closed. What helps with heating now
GOV.UK says the Boiler Replacement Scheme in Northern Ireland is now closed, and the GB Boiler Upgrade Scheme is for England and Wales only. A new boiler can still come through Affordable Warmth (boiler 15+ years old, plus one of the age, child or disability conditions above) or NISEP's heating and insulation schemes. Separately, NI households get the £63 Household Electricity Discount on their electricity account automatically from 6 October 2026, with no application and no means test.
GB insulation schemes that don't cover Northern Ireland
A lot of UK insulation advice is really GB advice, including our own GB guides. Here's what does and doesn't apply to a BT postcode:
| Scheme | Covers NI? | What the source says |
|---|---|---|
| ECO4 | No | A government energy efficiency scheme in Great Britain; runs to 31 December 2026 (Ofgem) |
| Great British Insulation Scheme | No | Great Britain only; ended 31 March 2026 (Ofgem) |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | No | Only available in England (GOV.UK) |
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme | No | England and Wales. NI's Boiler Replacement Scheme is closed (GOV.UK) |
| Warm Homes Loan | Yes, but not for insulation | UK-wide including NI; for heat pumps, solar panels, batteries and other renewables (GOV.UK) |
| 0% VAT on insulation | Yes | Zero rate in NI from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027 (HMRC) |
So the loft insulation grant and free insulation grants guides describe the GB schemes, and our Great British Insulation Scheme page is history for GB homes. In Belfast? Our Belfast energy grants page covers what Belfast homes get instead of ECO4.
Paying for insulation yourself in Northern Ireland
If you're over every income limit, NISEP's 40% part funded schemes still apply to loft and cavity insulation. And until 31 March 2027, insulation installed in your home is zero-rated for VAT; from 1 April 2027 it goes back to 5%, so insulation fitted before 1 April 2027 avoids VAT. See our VAT relief guide. The Warm Homes Loan reaches NI but covers heat pumps, solar and batteries; GOV.UK doesn't list insulation. We don't publish NI insulation prices because we couldn't find an official NI cost dataset: get written quotes and compare them.
Get insulation fitted in Northern Ireland
Funded or paying yourself, the next step is a survey. Use our free checker below and, if an accredited insulation installer covers your BT postcode, we pass your enquiry to that one installer. For a grant, apply through NI Energy Advice or the NISEP scheme manager as well: you make the Affordable Warmth application yourself.
Check your home for insulation in Northern Ireland
Two minutes. Free, no obligation, and nothing is shared until you submit.
Tell our free checker about your home: your BT postcode, who owns it, how it's heated and what you want done (loft, cavity wall, solid wall or underfloor insulation, or heating). If an accredited insulation installer covers your area, we pass your enquiry to that one installer to survey your home and quote. It goes to them only.
It's a UK-wide checker, so it may mention GB schemes by name. For a Northern Ireland home, the grants are the ones on this page: Affordable Warmth (through NI Energy Advice) and NISEP (through each scheme's manager). We don't run, assess or award either of them.
Start my free insulation check →How your enquiry is handled
- One installer introduction, fulfilling your request. If an accredited installer covers your area, we pass your enquiry to them, and only them. Not a list of companies.
- No obligation, at any stage. You can say no at any point, including after the survey or the quote, and owe nothing.
- It costs you nothing. An installer may pay Great British Energy a referral fee if you go ahead, and that fee doesn't change your price.
- We are an independent guide, not a grant body. Great British Energy Guide doesn't install anything, doesn't lend, and isn't the Housing Executive, the Utility Regulator or the government company of a similar name. Your consent is recorded with the enquiry, as set out in our privacy policy.
Running a business, farm or charity in NI? Business routes are different: NISEP's 20% commercial grant and Invest NI support. See business energy grants in Northern Ireland.
Insulation grants in Northern Ireland: common questions
Are there insulation grants in Northern Ireland in 2026?
Yes, two main ones. The Housing Executive's Affordable Warmth Scheme pays up to £7,500 (£10,000 where solid wall insulation is needed) for households with a gross income under £23,000. NISEP's 2026/27 schemes fully fund loft and cavity wall insulation for owner occupiers under £33,000 (single) or £40,000 (couple or family), and pay 40% for other owners and private tenants. Both depend on funding.
Can I get free insulation in Northern Ireland?
If you qualify, yes. NISEP's fully funded insulation schemes (Keep Warm, Thermal Comfort, Efficiency Plus Fully Funded Insulation and Insulate Homes) fit cavity wall and loft insulation at no cost to owner occupiers whose household income is under £33,000 gross (single) or £40,000 (couple or family). Under Affordable Warmth, the Housing Executive says you should not have to contribute to the agreed work.
Who qualifies for the Affordable Warmth Scheme?
You must live in Northern Ireland, own and live in the home (or have a life interest in it) or rent from a private landlord, and have a total gross household income under £23,000 a year. Housing Executive and housing association tenants can't apply, and holiday homes, B&Bs and commercial premises are excluded. Grants are subject to funding.
How do I apply for the Affordable Warmth Scheme?
Call NI Energy Advice free on 0800 111 44 55. If your household meets the entry rules, they send you an application form. You return it to your local Grant Office with proof of ownership or tenancy, that it's your main home, and your income (wage slips, benefit letters, bank statements). A technical officer then surveys the home. Don't start any work until you get written approval.
How much is the Affordable Warmth grant?
Up to £7,500, or up to £10,000 if your home has solid walls that need insulating. The amount depends on the measures the Housing Executive's technical officer recommends. If a contractor's estimate is higher than the grant, get other estimates (the Housing Executive recommends at least three). If you rent privately, your landlord pays 50% of the cost.
Can I get a cavity wall insulation grant in NI?
Yes. Cavity wall insulation is a Priority 1 measure under Affordable Warmth, which also pays to remove and replace cavity insulation that isn't working. NISEP fully funds it for owner occupiers under £33,000 (single) or £40,000 (couple or family), and pays 40% (up to £650, or up to £1,000 for extraction and refill) for any income if you don't qualify for other NISEP schemes.
Is the Boiler Replacement Scheme still open in Northern Ireland?
No. GOV.UK says the Boiler Replacement Scheme in Northern Ireland is now closed. A new boiler can still be funded through Affordable Warmth if your boiler is at least 15 years old and the householder is over 65, has a child getting Child Benefit or Kinship payments, or gets DLA, PIP, Attendance Allowance or Industrial Injuries Benefit. Several NISEP schemes also fund new heating, with insulation.
What is the Warm Healthy Homes Fund?
It's the Department for Communities' planned replacement for the Affordable Warmth Scheme. DfC says it will be introduced in April 2027 for lower-income owner occupiers and private renters, run by a managing agent. Social homes are excluded because they're the Housing Executive's responsibility. Income limits and grant amounts haven't been published yet, so Affordable Warmth is still the scheme to apply to now.
I rent from the Housing Executive. Can I get an insulation grant?
Not through Affordable Warmth: Housing Executive and housing association tenants can't apply, and NISEP's insulation schemes are for owner occupiers and private tenants. The Department for Communities says social homes are the Housing Executive's responsibility, so raise insulation with your landlord: the Housing Executive or your housing association. NI Energy Advice (0800 111 44 55) is free for every household, tenants included.
Is there VAT on insulation in Northern Ireland?
No, not on insulation installed in your home until 31 March 2027. HMRC's VAT Notice 708/6 zero-rates energy-saving materials, including loft, wall, floor and roof insulation, in homes across the UK, with the Northern Ireland zero rate in force from 1 May 2023. From 1 April 2027 the rate goes back to 5%.
Can I use the Warm Homes Loan for insulation in Northern Ireland?
The loan covers Northern Ireland, but GOV.UK doesn't list insulation. Its factsheet (27 October 2026) lists solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, biomass boilers, heat network connections and micro-renewables. For insulation in NI, use Affordable Warmth or NISEP instead. We don't lend or arrange credit.
Do ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme cover Northern Ireland?
No. Ofgem says ECO is a scheme in Great Britain, and ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026. The Great British Insulation Scheme was also GB only and ended on 31 March 2026. The Warm Homes: Local Grant is England only. In Northern Ireland, the routes are Affordable Warmth and NISEP.
Sources
- Northern Ireland Housing Executive: Affordable Warmth Scheme (eligibility, measures, up to £7,500 / £10,000, landlords 50%).
- Department for Communities: Changes to the Affordable Warmth Scheme (apply through NI Energy Advice), 8 September 2023.
- Department for Communities: Warm Healthy Homes Fund to replace Affordable Warmth from April 2027 (published 19 May 2026), and its Section 75 screening PDF (fuel poverty estimate; social homes excluded).
- Utility Regulator: NISEP list of schemes, April 2026 to March 2027 (PDF), from Utility Regulator: NISEP list of schemes for 2026/2027 published (1 April 2026).
- nidirect: Energy saving grants in your area (NI Energy Advice, Affordable Warmth, NISEP); Northern Ireland Housing Executive: NI Energy Advice, free for all households (0800 111 44 55).
- HMRC VAT Notice 708/6: zero rate on installed energy-saving materials, including insulation, to 31 March 2027, then 5%.
- GOV.UK: Warm Homes Loan scheme factsheet (27 October 2026): UK-wide; heat pumps, solar, batteries.
- nidirect: Help with your electricity bill (£63 Household Electricity Discount from 6 October 2026).
- GOV.UK: Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales; NI Boiler Replacement Scheme closed); Ofgem: Energy Company Obligation, Great Britain; ECO4 runs to 31 December 2026; Ofgem: Great British Insulation Scheme, ended 31 March 2026; GOV.UK: Warm Homes: Local Grant (England only).
- All checked 1 November 2026. Great British Energy (greatbritishenergy.com) is an independent guide. We are not the government company Great British Energy (gbe.gov.uk), the Northern Ireland Executive, the Department for Communities, the Housing Executive, NI Energy Advice or the Utility Regulator, and we don't run or award any grant.