ECO4, GBIS & Warm Homes: Navigating UK Retrofit Grants in 2026

The UK Retrofit Grant Landscape

The government has committed billions to decarbonising the UK's housing stock. For homeowners and landlords, this means substantial grants are available — if you know where to look and how to qualify.

ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation)

Running until March 2026, ECO4 obligates larger energy suppliers to fund energy efficiency improvements in low-income and vulnerable households.

What's covered:

• Insulation (loft, cavity wall, solid wall, underfloor)
• Heating upgrades (first-time central heating, boiler replacements)
• Heat pumps (air source and ground source)
• Solar PV panels

Who qualifies:

• Households on certain means-tested benefits (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Child Benefit with income threshold)
• Properties with an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G
• Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex) — some councils extend eligibility

Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)

A complementary scheme focused specifically on insulation for a broader range of households, including those in Council Tax bands A-D with EPC ratings of D or below.

Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund & Local Grant

The newest wave of funding, replacing earlier schemes. The Social Housing Fund targets housing association and council stock, while the Local Grant delivers improvements via local authorities for private households.

The Essential First Step: A Retrofit Assessment

Before any grant-funded work can be installed, you MUST have a PAS 2035-compliant Retrofit Assessment. This whole-house survey:

1. Evaluates your property's current energy performance
2. Identifies the most appropriate improvement measures
3. Produces a Medium-Term Improvement Plan (MTIP)
4. Confirms grant eligibility

Without this assessment, no installer can legally commence grant-funded work.

How Skyline Technical Services Helps

Our PAS 2035-qualified assessors handle the entire process:

1. Initial eligibility check — use our free grant checker
2. Full retrofit assessment — on-site survey, typically 2-3 hours
3. Improvement plan — tailored recommendations with estimated costs
4. Grant application support — we guide you through the paperwork

Check your eligibility in 2 minutes — start the grant checker.