The UK Government has launched its new Great British Insulation Scheme, which allows homes that are eligible within England, Wales, and Scotland (unfortunately not Northern Ireland) to gain access to free or cheaper insulating material. The scheme will see a budget of £1 billion being put aside to help insulate homes throughout Britain.
What is Insulation?
Insulation is an important way to prevent heat loss or gain within a home. Therefore, increasing energy efficiency, increasing comfort, and potentially reducing your energy bills.
There are many different types of insulating materials, including fibreglass, cellulose, and spray foam. Each of these will be used to insulate different parts of the home, including the roof, walls, and floors, to trap heat during the cooler months, and reduce heat gain during the warmer months. This will decrease your electricity bills due to having a warmer or cooler home, whilst lowering your homes carbon footprint.
Insulating materials can also be used for soundproofing your home and preventing moisture from getting into your property and causing damp, whilst helping you to live within a sustainable and comfortable home.
Am I Eligible?
To be eligible, your home’s EPC rating, also known as an energy performance certificate, needs to fall between D and G. To check your EPC visit Gov.uk’s website: https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate.
You may also benefit from this scheme if your council tax, within England, falls between the A and D bands. If you are in Scotland or Wales, your home must fall between the A and E council tax bands. For more information regarding council tax bands, and to find which band your home falls into, see the Gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands.
The UK Government hopes to insulate around 300,000 homes.
The government has launched this scheme to help reach its 2035 target of all homes having an EPC rating of C or higher. The government has also issued a statement claiming that houses with the lowest council tax bands will receive help through this scheme first. This has been put in place to help those that have struggled through the current energy crisis the most.
The scheme is open to you whether you are the homeowner or tenant, either of a home that is privately rented or through a housing association. If you are a tenant, make sure you check whether your landlord will allow you permission to have insulation installed at the property. You must have this permission before you apply.
What does the scheme offer?
There are a number of ways that you can receive support through this scheme, including:
- cavity wall insulation
- flat or pitched roof insulation
- loft insulation
- park home insulation
- room-in-roof insulation
- solid floor insulation
- solid wall insulation (internal or external)
- underfloor insulation
Throughout the course of this scheme, the UK Government hopes to insulate around 300,000 homes. Claire Coutinho, the UK’s newly appointed Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, has stated that this brand new energy saving scheme will:
“help hundreds of thousands of people, including some of the most vulnerable in society, get the upgrades their homes need, while cutting their energy bills.”
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has also stated that there is no limit for the amount of money each household can benefit from under the scheme, and that the UK Government is planning to carry on this scheme until March 2026.
More Information
To apply for this scheme, visit Gov.uk’s website: https://www.gov.uk/apply-great-british-insulation-scheme, to start the online application process.
Or you can call the Great British Insulation Scheme helpline at: 0800 098 7950.
For more information regarding insulation for homes, see our Ultimate Guide to Insulation:
