The short answer: The Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) is a government-funded scheme, delivered by local councils in England, that pays for energy-saving upgrades in lower-income, privately owned homes. To qualify, your household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less, your home needs an EPC rating of D, E, F or G, and the property must be privately owned (owner-occupied or privately rented). It can fund insulation, an air source heat pump, smart heating controls and solar panels at no cost to eligible households. The scheme runs from April 2025 to March 2028, so it has the longest runway of any current grant. You apply through the GOV.UK service and your local council delivers the work.
Last verified: 18 July 2026 against GOV.UK — Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant and GOV.UK — Warm Homes: Local Grant guidance for local authorities. Criteria are set locally and can change — always confirm with your own council before applying.
Not sure which route fits you? The free eligibility checker compares the Warm Homes: Local Grant, ECO4 and LA Flex for your postcode in about a minute — no benefits information needed to start.
What is the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
The Warm Homes: Local Grant is part of the government's wider Warm Homes Plan. Rather than being run from a single national call centre, it gives funding to local authorities in England, who then find eligible homes in their area, arrange a survey, and organise the upgrade work. Because your council is in charge of delivery, the scheme is designed to reach households that a benefits-only scheme would miss — lower-income working families, pensioners just above the benefits line, and people in cold, hard-to-heat homes.
It matters right now because the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) closed its GOV.UK referral route to new applicants on 31 March 2026, and ECO4 is in its final year, ending on 31 December 2026. The Warm Homes: Local Grant runs on until March 2028, which makes it the go-to route for many households — especially those who don't claim benefits.
The government has allocated £500 million to the scheme (confirmed at the Autumn Budget), with participating councils covering more than 97% of eligible local authority areas in England. Funding is finite and delivered locally, so how quickly you can be helped depends on your council's own delivery programme.
Who qualifies for the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
There are three tests your household normally has to meet: an income test, a property test, and a location and tenure test. GOV.UK sets the national framework; your council fills in the local detail.
1. Income
The headline rule is straightforward: your household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less. If you earn more than that, you are not automatically ruled out — GOV.UK sets out two alternative routes:
- you live in a certain (lower-income) postcode area that the scheme targets, or
- someone in your household is getting certain qualifying benefits.
GOV.UK does not publish a single national list of the qualifying postcodes or benefits on the household application page — these are applied through the service and by your council — so the most reliable way to know is to run the application (or the checker) rather than assume you're over the line.
2. Your property (EPC rating)
Your home needs to be energy-inefficient enough to benefit. In practice that means an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G. Homes already rated A, B or C are considered efficient and are not the target of this scheme. If you don't know your EPC, you can look it up for free on the government's EPC register, and the application service can help you check it.
3. Location and tenure
- England only. The Warm Homes: Local Grant is only available in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own home-energy schemes.
- Privately owned homes. The property must be privately owned — either owner-occupied or privately rented. Social housing is covered by separate Warm Homes funding, not this grant.
- Renting? Private tenants can benefit, but the home is owned by your landlord, so GOV.UK notes that your landlord may need to pay for some of the improvements. It's worth talking to your landlord early, before you rely on the grant.
| Eligibility check | The rule | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Country | England only, delivered through participating local authorities | Check your council guide |
| Income | Usually £36,000 a year or less (household), with postcode and benefit routes above that | Keep recent income evidence ready |
| Property (EPC) | EPC rating of D, E, F or G | Look up your EPC before applying |
| Tenure | Privately owned — owner-occupied or privately rented | Tenants: get landlord agreement early |
| Funding available | Your council must still have capacity in its programme | Apply sooner rather than later |
What does the Warm Homes: Local Grant pay for?
The grant is survey-led, not a menu you pick from. A qualified assessor visits your home, works out which improvements will make the biggest difference, and the council funds the package that suits the property. According to GOV.UK, the measures that can be installed include:
- Insulation — wall, loft and underfloor insulation
- An air source heat pump, where it is suitable for the home
- Smart heating controls
- Solar panels
For an eligible household there is no cost contribution — the work is funded. (The one exception, noted above, is that a private landlord may be asked to contribute towards the improvements to a rented home.) Because the package is chosen by survey, most homes receive a combination of measures — for example loft and wall insulation together with new heating controls — rather than a single item.
Solar and heat pumps aren't guaranteed. The grant can include solar panels or an air source heat pump, but only where the survey finds them suitable for your home. It is not a universal solar or heat pump scheme — treat those as possible outcomes, not promises.
Warm Homes: Local Grant vs ECO4 vs LA Flex
These three routes overlap, and a lot of households qualify for more than one. The key differences are who runs them, how you qualify, and how long they last. GBIS is included below because so many people are still searching for it — its referral route has now closed.
| Scheme | Best for | How you qualify | Runs until | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | Lower-income private homes in England, EPC D–G | Income (usually £36k or less), plus postcode/benefit routes; council-delivered | March 2028 | You're on the guide |
| ECO4 | Households on qualifying benefits wanting a whole-house upgrade | Means-tested benefits (or LA Flex); supplier-funded | 31 December 2026 | ECO4 guide |
| LA Flex | People without benefits who are low-income or vulnerable to cold | Your council's own criteria, as a route into ECO4 | 31 December 2026 (with ECO4) | LA Flex guide |
| GBIS | Previously: single-measure insulation by council tax band | GOV.UK referral route closed 31 March 2026 | Closed | What replaced GBIS |
A simple way to choose: if you're on a modest income in a privately owned English home and you don't claim benefits, the Warm Homes: Local Grant is usually your best long-term route because it runs to 2028 and doesn't need a benefit. If you do claim a qualifying benefit, ECO4 may move faster while it lasts. If you're just outside the benefits system, LA Flex is the council route into ECO4. Many households are worth checking against all three — which is exactly what the eligibility checker does.
How to apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant
You apply through the official GOV.UK service, and your local council takes it from there. The typical journey looks like this:
- Start on GOV.UK. Use the official Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant service, or your council's own Warm Homes page.
- Enter your details. You'll be asked for your postcode, home ownership/tenure, income (or benefit) information, and your property's EPC.
- Your council makes contact. GOV.UK states your local council will usually contact you within 10 working days to confirm details and arrange next steps.
- Home survey. An assessor visits to confirm eligibility and identify which measures your home needs.
- Installation. Approved installers carry out the funded work; your EPC is updated afterwards to reflect the improvement.
Because delivery is local, timelines vary from one authority to the next. If the online service can't route your postcode yet, check your council's website directly — you can find yours through our council guides directory — and, in the meantime, compare ECO4 and LA Flex so you're not waiting on a single route.
Watch out for scams — never pay upfront. Genuine Warm Homes: Local Grant work is funded for eligible households. No legitimate scheme, council or installer will ask an eligible homeowner to pay a fee to "unlock", "reserve" or "guarantee" a grant. Be wary of cold callers and pushy door-knockers, never hand over bank details to secure a "free" upgrade, insist on written confirmation that the work is funded, and check that any installer is TrustMark-registered and appropriately certified (for example MCS for heat pumps and solar). If in doubt, start from the GOV.UK link above or your council's official page.
Common questions about the Warm Homes: Local Grant
Is the Warm Homes: Local Grant the same as ECO4?
No. The Warm Homes: Local Grant is a government-funded scheme delivered by councils, while ECO4 is an obligation funded by energy suppliers. They have different eligibility rules and end dates — many households should check both.
Is it available across the UK?
No. The Warm Homes: Local Grant is only available in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own home-energy support schemes.
What income qualifies?
GOV.UK states household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less. If you earn more, you may still qualify if you live in a certain postcode area or someone in your household receives certain benefits.
Do I need an EPC?
Your home normally needs an EPC rating of D, E, F or G. You can look your EPC up for free on the government register, and the application service can help you check.
Can it fund solar panels or a heat pump?
It can — GOV.UK lists solar panels and an air source heat pump among the measures — but only where the survey finds them suitable for your home. It is not a universal solar or heat pump grant.
Can private tenants apply?
Yes, private rentals can be eligible, but because your landlord owns the property they may need to pay for some of the improvements. Speak to your landlord early.
How quickly will my council respond?
GOV.UK says your local council will usually contact you within 10 working days of your application, though local delivery capacity can vary.
How long is the scheme open?
The Warm Homes: Local Grant runs from April 2025 to March 2028 — the longest runway of any current route. Funding is finite and delivered locally, so applying sooner is sensible.