Energy bills keep going up across the UK. Keeping your home warm costs more than ever. But here’s something you might not know. The government has money set aside to help you make your home warmer and cheaper to run.

Thousands of people miss out on this help simply because they don’t know about it. This guide covers all the main funding schemes available right now and shows you how to get support for your home.

What Is the Energy Funding Service?

The energy funding service is a collection of government schemes that pay for home improvements. These schemes give you money for things like better heating, insulation, and more efficient systems.

You can get help paying for new boilers, wall insulation, loft insulation, heat pumps, and solar panels. Some people get these upgrades completely free. Others get most of the cost covered by grants. The whole point is to make homes warmer while bringing down energy bills at the same time.

ECO4 Explained

ECO4 stands forEnergy Company Obligation 4. It’s the biggest energy funding service scheme running right now. The scheme goes until 2026, so there’s still time to apply. If you need any help, you can contact us right now, and we will guide you!

How it works

Big energy companies have to help people improve their homes. It’s the law. So they fund these improvements for people who need them most.

What You Can Get Through ECO4

• A new boiler
• Wall insulation on the inside or outside of your home
• Loft insulation to prevent heat escaping through the roof
• Underfloor insulation
• Air source heat pumps
• Solar panels for your roof

Most people who get ECO4 help are either on benefits or live in homes with poor energy ratings. Your home gets an EPC rating from A to G. If yours is D, E, F, or G, you might qualify. But even if you don’t fit these boxes, keep reading. There are other ways in.

LA Flex: Another Way to Get ECO4

Can’t get ECO4 through the normal route? LA Flex might work for you. This stands for Local Authority Flexible Eligibility, and it’s part of the energy funding service too. Your local council can put you forward for ECO4 funding even if you don’t get benefits. They look at your whole situation. Maybe you earn a low wage. Maybe you have health problems that get worse in the cold. Maybe you’re struggling to pay your bills every month.

Councils have the power to say “this person needs help” and get you into the scheme. It’s worth asking them. All they can say is no, but if they say yes, you could save thousands. Ring your local council and ask about LA Flex. Tell them about your situation and see what they say.

GBIS ( Great British Insulation Scheme)

What Is GBIS?

GBIS stands for Great British Insulation Scheme. It’s a government program that pays for insulation in your home at little or no cost. The scheme helps because many British homes lose heat through poor insulation. When heat escapes through walls, roofs, or floors, your heating bills go up. GBIS covers loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, and room-in-roof insulation. 

Who Can Get GBIS?

You might qualify if you own your home or rent privately and your property has an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G. People on benefits like Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or Child Benefit get priority. But you don’t always need benefits to qualify. Low household income or struggling to heat your home can also make you eligible. Someone will assess your property first to check if it’s suitable for insulation work. The best way to find out if you qualify is to check your eligibility through an approved GBIS installer.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)

Want to swap your old boiler for something more modern? The Boiler Upgrade Scheme might help you do exactly that. BUS is part of the energy funding service that pushes people towards heat pumps. Heat pumps are the new way of heating homes. They use less energy than old boilers and cost less to run once they’re in.

How Much You Get

• Get £7,500 towards installing an air source heat pump in your home
• Get £7,500 towards installing a ground source heat pump in your home
• Get £5,000 towards installing a biomass boiler in your home

The money goes straight to whoever installs your new system. You just pay what’s left, which is way less than the full price. You do need to own your home to get BUS funding. And you need an Energy Performance Certificate that’s up to date. But if you tick those boxes, that £7,500 makes heat pumps much more affordable.

Don’t Wait Too Long

The Schemes related to energy funding services won’t be around forever. ECO4 ends in 2026. BUS funding gets used up as people apply. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Every month you wait is another month paying more than you need to on energy. If your home is cold and your bills are high, now is the time to do something about it. Checking if you qualify takes minutes. You fill in a form with some basic details about your home and your situation. That’s it. Then you find out what help is available for you.

Who Can Get Help?

Different schemes have different rules. But generally, you might get help through the energy funding service if:

• You’re on benefits like Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or Child Benefit etc
• Your residence has an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G
• You don’t earn much money
• You are the owner of your home, or you rent from a private landlord
• You’re struggling to pay for heating

Even if none of these apply, LA Flex might still get you help. It’s always worth checking all your options.

How to Apply

Getting help from the energy funding service is simpler than you’d expect:

• Work out which schemes you can apply for
• Fill in an application form or talk to an approved installer
• Someone comes to look at your home
• Approved installers do the work
• Your energy bills start coming down

The government wants people to use these schemes. They’re not trying to make it hard. The process is straightforward on purpose.

What This Means for You

The energy funding service can change how your home feels. Better insulation means staying warm in winter without cranking up the heating. It also means staying cooler in summer. A new boiler or heat pump means your heating works properly without wasting energy and money. Your bills go down. Your home becomes more comfortable.

If you’re older, have kids, or deal with health problems, a warm home matters even more. Cold homes make health problems worse. These schemes exist because the government knows people need this help. Want more information about what you qualify for and how to apply? Visit Warm Homes Grant for detailed guides and support. They can walk you through the whole process and answer your questions.

Get Started Now

The government has real money available through the energy funding service. ECO4, LA Flex, GBIS, and BUS are all there for people who need them. Your neighbors are probably getting these upgrades already. The longer you leave it, the longer you’re stuck with high bills and a cold home. Take a few minutes today to check what you can get. Fill in an eligibility form and see what comes back. You might be pleasantly surprised at how much help is available.

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