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Is your home cold and draughty? Are you fretting over your next heating bill? External wall insulation (EWI) could make your home more comfy and energy efficient.
The uninsulated walls are responsible for over 33% of home heat loss. This causes whopping energy bills in damp and drafty homes. An overworked heating system also has a considerable carbon footprint. However, not everyone can afford the cost of wall insulation. That’s why wall insulation grants are introduced.
The UK government has a goal to be net zero by 2050. Thus, government grant schemes are implemented to help fuel-poor and low-income homes. Its primary focus is to provide efficiency upgrades, including free external wall insulation.
Qualifying homes can get free external wall insulation through the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) or the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4). Both nationwide grant schemes are open until March 2026.
What Are the External Wall Insulation Grants?
External wall insulation grants are financial support schemes. They aim to make external wall insulation easily accessible for low-income families. Recently, the UK government has backed two insulation grant schemes. One is the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). And the second one is the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4).
The GBIS and ECO4 provide free external wall insulation for qualified families. Financial support for the insulation cost depends on your circumstances and installation difficulty. Nonetheless, external wall insulation is a convincing long-term upgrade. It boosts your home’s heat retention. It also leads to more energy bill savings. And it can lower carbon emissions and a much better world overall. However, both schemes differ in application methods and coverage. Let’s explore the specifics of these schemes in detail!
The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) has been launched to improve the insulation of low-income homes in the UK. It is a government-backed scheme, also known as the ECO+ scheme.
The GBIS works by providing a single insulation measure for each qualified home. The measure is decided upon after a home survey. It determines the best option to boost a property’s energy efficiency.
The GBIS offers numerous home insulation measures, including free external wall insulation. To apply, visit———– and fill out the online application form.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme is more of a formal demand across the UK. It is designed to provide free home energy-saving upgrades.
Despite the GBIS, the ECO4 provides a more whole-house approach to energy efficiency. It offers a range of heating upgrades.
The ECO4 also offers a wide range of home insulation measures. It includes free external wall insulation. To apply, learn more about the requirements, the application process, and the grants you may benefit from.
Eligibility for External Wall Insulation Grants
The eligibility criteria for the GBIS and ECO4 schemes are usually the same. The UK government aims to make both systems simple.
There are slight differences in qualification criteria.
ECO4 Eligibility Criteria For External Wall Insulation
- Homeowners or private tenants
- Households with low incomes who receive any of the specific benefits, including:
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Housing Benefit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support (IS)
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (PCGC)
- Working Tax Credit (WTC)
- Child Tax Credit (CTC)
- Universal Credit (UC)
- Pension Credit Savings Credit (PCSC)
- Child Benefit*
- Properties with an EPC rating of lower D, E, F, & G.
GBIS Eligibility Criteria for the External Wall Insulation
Household Category | General Group | Low-Income Group |
Owner Occupiers | 1. Must be living in a Council Tax band A-D home in England or A-E in Scotland and Wales 2. If the household owns the home and EPC D or below, then the household can receive any qualifying insulation measure. | If the household owns the home and its EPC is D or below, it can receive any qualifying insulation measure, plus heating controls. |
Private Rented | Private renters with home EPC D or E can receive any qualifying insulation measure other than cavity wall insulation and loft insulation. | Private renters with a home EPC rating of D or E can receive any qualifying insulation measure. |
Social Housing | All social renters are included in the low-income group. | If the household lives in EPC E or below social housing, it can receive any qualifying insulation measure. If the home is EPC E, F, or G, only a qualifying innovation measure is allowed. |
Applying for Free External Wall Insulation Grants
After qualifying for the GBIS or ECO4 external wall insulation grant. The application process is the next move.
The entry process can vary slightly based on the scheme you are interested in. But generally, it involves a similar process:
- Choose a grant scheme: The GBIS and ECO4 schemes offer external wall insulation grants. While both have different approaches. Select the scheme according to your home’s needs.
- Check your eligibility: Make sure you meet the eligibility criteria of your chosen scheme. This is a way, you can avoid wasting time on an application.
- To apply for the GBIS and ECO4 scheme, visit our website ecoenergyservices.co.uk And complete the application form.
- Arrange an installer: We have certified installers for any UK government external wall insulation scheme. They will do the quality work.
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Is External Wall Insulation Worth It?
Like other home insulation measures, external wall insulation is a game-changer for your home’s energy efficiency. Explore how external wall insulation benefits your home:
- Energy bill savings: External wall insulation can impressively save a UK detached home up to £550 on its annual energy bills. Thus, you can experience high savings for years to come.
- Reduced carbon emissions: Despite significant savings, external wall insulation reduces your home heat loss. And it lowers your home’s CO2 emissions by up to 1.5 tonnes.
- Home Comfort: External wall insulation assists in decreasing inner wetness, dampness, and draft. As a result, your home has much less chance to support mould growth, a key driver to lung illnesses.
- Higher property value: External wall insulation will help raise your home’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) score, making it far more attractive to prospective buyers or renters in the housing market.
With all essential features, insulating external walls is a home efficiency upgrade that can help you save money and the planet with one investment.
Summary
The government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Scheme and GBIS give free external wall insulation grants. External wall insulation offers a waterproof layer to protect your bricks and improve sound absorption. And it helps avoid damping problems. The insulation material is fitted to the outside of a building. So it won’t reduce the floor area and can be put with minimal inconvenience. It will also freshen the look of your walls and increase the property’s value. And it results in significant savings on heating bills. Free external wall insulation grant schemes are making this a reality for thousands of UK homes.
People Also Ask
You can get government grants for external wall insulation. If you meet the GBIS or the ECO4 scheme’s eligibility criteria. Generally, they have the same process. However, it may differ if you are a homeowner, landlord, or tenant.
External wall insulation is a very effective way of increasing your home efficiency. Approximately 33% of heat loss happens in a home through uninsulated walls. You can save up to £550 on annual energy bills through external wall insulation. And you can also reduce your carbon emissions by 1.5 tonnes in a separate UK home.
A study by the UK Government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change found that improving a property’s energy efficiency through external wall insulation can increase its value by up to 38%.
External wall insulation includes adding a layer of insulation material to the wall. And then covering it with a particular type of finish (plasterwork) or coating. The finish can be smooth, painted, tiled, paneled, pebble-dashed, or finished with brick slips.
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