The short answer: The Warm Homes Agency is a new government body being set up to deliver the Warm Homes Plan. It will bring together Salix and parts of DESNZ and Ofgem, run a free, impartial advice service online and by phone, and help councils deliver upgrades. It is not open yet: the government says it will begin “initial operations” in 2027. You don’t need to wait for it: the £7,500 heat pump grant, the Warm Homes Loan and the Warm Homes: Local Grant are open today.
Last verified: 30 October 2026 against the Warm Homes Plan and the government’s answer to Parliament (written question 113667, 2 March 2026) and the King’s Speech 2026 briefing notes.
What the Warm Homes Agency will do
The Warm Homes Plan, published in January 2026, describes the Agency as “a dedicated public body to support the delivery of the Warm Homes Plan, and guide consumers through the transition.” It lists these jobs:
| Role | What the Plan says |
|---|---|
| Free advice for households | “From 2027”, impartial advice and information on home upgrades “online and by phone”, with a national phoneline for people who need more help |
| One online front door | A single online access point that will “link consumers to trusted installers, options for finance and access to government support” |
| Running schemes | Takes on “delivery of some of our existing schemes” as well as new roles |
| Helping councils | “A critical role in place-based delivery”, building capacity in local government |
| Heat networks | Designated as the national heat network zoning authority |
| Installers and skills | Works with installers, manufacturers and trade unions on training and the shift to low-carbon heating |
It will “support all tenure types”: owners, private renters and social tenants.
Who is in the Warm Homes Agency?
The Agency merges existing bodies rather than adding a new one. The Plan says Salix, the public body that runs the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, “will close and its functions, alongside some from within DESNZ and relevant roles in Ofgem, will be brought together into a single executive agency.” The government says there will be “no net increase in the number of arm’s length bodies”.
Salix’s latest annual report says DESNZ expects to keep funding it until the earlier of the Agency being set up or October 2027, and that Salix’s future role “is still being considered”.
When does the Warm Homes Agency open?
| Date | What happens | Status |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Warm Homes Plan published; Agency announced | Done |
| 2 March 2026 | Government tells Parliament the Agency will begin “initial operations” in 2027 | Done |
| 2026 | The King’s Speech Energy Independence Bill, which the government says will “pave the way for the Warm Homes Agency” | Announced |
| Late autumn 2026 | The separate Home Energy Advice service is due to launch as the GOV.UK route into the Local Grant | Not live on 30 October 2026 |
| 2027 | Agency “initial operations”; advice service online and by phone | Planned; no exact date |
| By October 2027 | DESNZ expects to fund Salix until the Agency is set up or October 2027, whichever is earlier | Salix accounts; an expectation |
| From 2027/28 | The government “intend[s] to integrate” the Local Grant and the Social Housing Fund into a single, area-based low-income scheme | Planned; start date and design not published |
Is the Warm Homes Agency UK-wide?
The Plan says that “subject to agreement with the devolved governments, the WHA will work at both a national across the UK and at a local level.” Today, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own grant schemes, such as Home Energy Scotland and Nest in Wales. The Warm Homes Loan already covers the whole UK. See energy grants in Scotland and energy grants in Wales.
What you can get now, without waiting for the Agency
| Scheme | What you get | Who | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme | £7,500 off an air or ground source heat pump; £9,000 replacing oil or LPG with no mains gas, until 31 March 2027 | Owners in England and Wales; no income test | Through an MCS-certified installer |
| Warm Homes Loan | Low-rate and some interest-free loans for solar panels, batteries and heat pumps | Homeowners and private landlords, UK-wide; credit checks | Through a lender, installer or mortgage provider |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | Free insulation, heat pump or solar for eligible homes | Lower-income, privately owned homes in England, EPC D–G, where the council has funding | GOV.UK or your council; some councils are full |
| ECO4 | Insulation and heating | Means-tested benefits | Through suppliers, until 31 December 2026 |
| 0% VAT | No VAT on installed solar, batteries, heat pumps and insulation | Homes across the UK | Automatic on your installer’s invoice until 31 March 2027 |
What stays the same for now
- The Boiler Upgrade Scheme carries on. The Budget on 28 October 2026 held its funding at £400 million for 2027–28.
- The Warm Homes Loan is already live, through ten lenders, since 27 October 2026.
- ECO4 still ends on 31 December 2026. There is no ECO5. See what replaces ECO4.
- Councils still deliver the low-income grant, and the Local Grant’s delivery window runs to 31 March 2028. From 2027/28 the government intends to merge it into a single, area-based low-income scheme, but the start date and design hadn’t been published when we checked.
The Budget also took £1 billion of capital grant out of the Warm Homes Plan, while saying “the majority” of low-income funding is protected. It didn’t say how this affects the Agency.
Watch out for “Warm Homes Agency” scams. The Agency hadn’t started operating when we checked on 30 October 2026. Anyone who cold-calls saying they’re from it, or asks for a fee to “register” you for a grant, is not to be trusted. Check schemes yourself on GOV.UK. Forward scam texts to 7726 and scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Warm Homes Agency: common questions
What is the Warm Homes Agency?
A new public body the government is creating to deliver the Warm Homes Plan. The Plan calls it “a dedicated public body to support the delivery of the Warm Homes Plan, and guide consumers through the transition.” The Plan says it will be “a single executive agency” run by government.
When does the Warm Homes Agency open?
The government told Parliament the Agency will begin “initial operations” in 2027, and the Plan says its advice service will run “from 2027”. No exact opening date had been published when we checked on 30 October 2026.
Can I apply for a grant through the Warm Homes Agency?
Not yet: it isn’t operating. Today you apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme through an MCS-certified installer, for a Warm Homes Loan through a lender or installer, and for the Warm Homes: Local Grant through GOV.UK or your council.
Does the Warm Homes Agency replace Salix?
Yes. The Warm Homes Plan says Salix “will close and its functions, alongside some from within DESNZ and relevant roles in Ofgem, will be brought together into a single executive agency.”
Will the Warm Homes Agency cover Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Possibly. The Plan says that “subject to agreement with the devolved governments”, the Agency will work across the UK as well as locally. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own grant schemes today.
Will the Warm Homes Agency give free advice?
That’s the plan. The Warm Homes Plan says that from 2027 the Agency “will offer impartial advice and clear information on home upgrades to consumers – online and by phone”, with a single online access point that links people to trusted installers, finance and government support.
Is the Warm Homes Agency the same as the Home Energy Advice service?
No. The Home Energy Advice service is a separate DESNZ service due in late autumn 2026 that will become the GOV.UK route into the Warm Homes: Local Grant. The Agency is the wider body planned for 2027. See our Home Energy Advice service guide.
Someone says they’re calling from the Warm Homes Agency. Is it real?
Be careful. The Agency had not started operating when we checked on 30 October 2026. Don’t give bank details or pay a fee to anyone who cold-calls about a grant. Check any scheme on GOV.UK yourself.
Is Great British Energy Guide part of the Warm Homes Agency?
No. We are an independent grants guide. We are not the Warm Homes Agency, the government or the government-owned Great British Energy company.