Fancy £400 to do up your house and slash your bills?

Brrr… cold, draughty homes are bad for your health and your wallet.

But there’s some good news. Thanks to the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS), you could get up to £400 from the government to insulate your home and slash your energy bills.

When the scheme launched roughly 18 months ago, enough cash was set aside to improve 300,000 properties. And there’s still money left to upgrade around 275,000 homes.

Are you one of them?

What’s the Great British Insulation Scheme?

It’s a government-backed initiative available in England, Wales and Scotland designed to help you insulate your home and cut your energy bills.

With a bit of work on your loft, roof or wall insulation, you could slash your energy costs by up to £400 a year.

The scheme started in April 2023 and is set to run until April 2026.

Recent government figures show from the start of the scheme until August 2024, 30,400 insulation upgrades were made in 24,400 homes. Of those, around 13,500 homes received solid and cavity wall insulation.

Why should you insulate?

It’s not just about saving money, insulating your home means a warmer, healthier living space.

Cold homes can lead to illnesses like asthma, strokes and heart attacks. Better insulated homes could save the NHS up to £2bn by 2030, according to Citizens Advice.

Who’s eligible?

You could qualify for free or cheaper insulation if:

• you're on qualifying benefits and you are a homeowner with an energy performance certificate (EPC) of D to G
• or you privately rent your home and have an EPC of D or E
• or you are a homeowner and have an EPC rating of D or lower and a council tax band of A to D in England and A to E in Wales and Scotland

Qualifying benefits

• income-based job seekers allowance
• income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
• income support
• pension credit
• guarantee credit
• working tax credit
• child tax credit
• universal credit
• housing benefit

If you qualify, you can get help with:

• loft, roof or underfloor insulation
• cavity wall insulation
• solid wall or floor insulation
• park home insulation
• loft room insulation

How to apply

You can check if you qualify in minutes.

Use the online checker for the Great British Insulation Scheme. It’ll ask a few simple questions about your home and heating and whether you receive any benefits.

What happens if you qualify

If you’re eligible, you’ll be referred to your energy supplier or local council. They’ll assess your home and let you know if there’s any cost involved. You can decide whether to go ahead or not. There’s no pressure.

More help for your energy bills

The GBIS isn’t the only option for energy support. British Gas is offering up to £2,000 in grants for customers struggling with energy bills. This scheme works alongside the current Individuals and Families Fund, which helps both British Gas and non-British Gas customers pay off their energy debts.

Other suppliers like EDF, E.ON and Octopus also offer financial help.

And don’t forget about the Household Support Fund from local councils, which can help with essentials like food and utility bills. Contact your local council to see if you're eligible.

Check if you qualify for the GBIS and other financial support. It’s quick, easy, and could save you hundreds on your energy bills.

Don’t miss out, your warm, wallet-friendly home could be just a few clicks away.

You can read more about these grants in our full guide to energy bill help.