Thousands in council tax bands A to E can get £400 off energy bills – are you eligible?

Britons may be able to get free or cheaper insulation which could reduce their home’s energy bills

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Temie Laleye

By Temie Laleye


Published: 02/05/2024

- 12:06

Britons may be able to get free or cheaper insulation which could reduce their home’s energy bills

Hundreds of thousands of households can save around £400 on their energy bills on average by taking part in the Great British Insulation Scheme.

Around 300,000 households could get free or cheaper insulation if their home is in a certain council tax band, which could cut bills.


People residing in council tax bands A to E may qualify, depending on where they live, for the initiative, which was launched last year.

Via the insulation scheme, support may be available for homes with an energy performance certificate (EPC) of D to G or those in council tax bands A to D in England or A to E in Scotland or Wales.

Participating households can expect lower energy bills than they would have otherwise had, with an average bill saving of £300 to £400 per year.

Applicants must be a homeowner, landlord or tenant (either renting privately or from a housing association).

Energy bills document

Tenants will need to speak to their landlord before they apply

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Tenants will need to speak to their landlord before they apply as they’ll need their permission before any insulation can be installed.

Furthermore, thousands can get freebies from energy providers and local authorities to make their home warmer and more energy efficient.

Energy suppliers are required to help customers in lowering their heating bills through the implementation of energy efficiency measures.

This includes measures such as loft, cavity wall, underfloor and park home insulation.

Depending on the proposed measure and any property issues, the cost of these measures may be partially or fully subsidised.

Those who are on benefits and/or live in a home with a low energy performance rating might be eligible for free insulation.

The Government has recently launched an online eligibility checker to see if households can get any energy-efficiency measures for their home under the Great British Insulation Scheme.

Before checking if they qualify, customers will need access to documents with:

  • the total household income
  • the type of benefits anyone living in the property receives - they may be eligible for additional support
  • Their email address or phone number so their energy supplier can contact them if they’re eligible

After applicants submit their forms their energy supplier will contact them within 10 working days to ask for additional information and to arrange an assessment of their property.

There are alternative schemes available for those who may not be eligible for this initiative.

Britons may be able to apply for similar freebies through their local council, or they can try other schemes for energy-efficient improvements, such as the Home Upgrade Grant, the Warm Homes Nest scheme (Wales only) and the Warmer Homes Scotland initiative.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

The GB Insulation Scheme has set the following objectives based on the modelled, expected outcomes:

Over 300,000 households will be supported with energy efficiency measures between 2023 and 2026.

Households participating in the scheme can expect lower energy bills than they would have otherwise had, with an average bill saving of £300-400 per year.

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