Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)

Free Insulation Upgrade ?

If you have a cold home and poor wall or loft insulation is not 300mm, you could be eligible for a 100% free grant under the Great British Insulation Scheme. Insulation is designed to reduce heat loss up to $\text{25\%}$ through the roof), which can cut your heating costs and help the environment. (Final eligibility for a fully-funded grant is subject to a certified home assessment.)

What Is GBIS?

The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is a government energy efficiency scheme (formerly known as ECO+) administered by Ofgem. It is designed to deliver improvements to the least energy-efficient homes in Great Britain to tackle fuel poverty and help reduce energy bills.

The GBIS scheme complements the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme, yet unlike ECO4’s ‘whole house’ approach, this scheme will mostly deliver single insulation measures. As well as supporting low-income and vulnerable households, it is also available to those living in homes with an EPC Energy Performance Certificate rating of D-G, and within Council Tax bands A-D in England and A-E in Scotland and Wales..

The scheme works by placing an obligation on large energy suppliers to deliver energy-saving measures to consumers. For qualifying households, secondary measures like heating controls may also be offered. By facilitating these upgrades, GBIS aims to reduce national energy demand, cut carbon emissions, and make homes warmer and more comfortable, with installations scheduled to be completed by March 2026.

🧱 Insulation Improvements
Loft, cavity-wall, internal or external wall insulation.

Who can apply for GBIS?

Why is it %100 free of charge

If you have a loft that doesn't have required 300mm of loft insulation, we may be able to help you through the Government's Great British Insulation Scheme, which is available to both homeowners and landlords.

Main Qualifying route

Council Tax Bands A-D: if you live in council tax bands A-D, you will qualify to have cavity wall insulation OR loft insulation in smaller properties. This is non-means tested and irreleant of earnings.

For Larger properties and homeowners

Three Qualifying Routes

Qualifying Benefits (Route 1): Where someone in the household is in receipt of means tested benefits, such as Pension Credit, Tax Credits, Universal Credits etc...
Low Income (Route 2): Where household earns less than £31,000 ( before tax)
NHS Referral Health Conditions (Route 3):
If a member of your household suffers from a severe or long-term health condition that is worsened by living in a cold home, you may be eligible for an ECO4 (LA Flex) grant via an NHS referral (Route 3).

This route allows you to qualify without needing to meet low-income or benefits criteria.
Our healthcare professional (e.g., GP or NHS Trust) will certify that the patient's condition falls into one of these four categories:

1. Cardiovascular Condition: Illnesses of the heart and blood vessels, such as: Heart Disease, Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), or those recovering from a Stroke.
2. Respiratory Disease: Conditions affecting the lungs, often worsened by damp/cold, such as: Asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), or Chronic Bronchitis.
3. Limited Mobility: Conditions that significantly restrict movement and make it difficult to keep warm, such as: Severe Arthritis, Parkinson's Disease, or Neurological disorders.
4. Immunosuppression: A weakened immune system due to conditions or treatments, such as: Active Cancer treatment (chemotherapy/radiotherapy), HIV/AIDS, or Autoimmune diseases.

Resources on ECO4 grant on offecial websites

Benefits of GBIS

✓ Lower Annual energy bills

✓ A warmer, more comfortable home

✓ Improved EPC rating and property valye

✓ Reduced carbon emissions

✓ Access to fully regulated, government-backed funding

✓ Free insulation if eligible

Compliance & Transparency

UK Saves Energy is not part of the UK Government or Ofgem. We are an independent awareness service, helping households understand official schemes and connect with approved, certified installers. All scheme details are based on public information from GOV.UK and Ofgem.

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Want to know details of ECO4?

Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)

Summary

The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is a UK government-backed energy efficiency initiative designed to help households improve their home insulation, reduce energy bills, and cut carbon emissions. Administered by Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets), GBIS operates across England, Scotland, and Wales and complements the ongoing Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme.

The scheme began in April 2023 and will run until March 2026, with the goal of helping around 300,000 households install cost-effective insulation measures. Unlike ECO4, which focuses on whole-house retrofits, GBIS primarily targets single, affordable insulation improvements to quickly improve the energy performance of Britain’s least efficient homes.

As of early 2025, approximately 59,000 insulation measures have been delivered to about 46,900 homes across Great Britain, with most installations concentrated in loft, cavity wall, and underfloor insulation.

What is GBIS

GBIS (formerly known in policy drafts as ECO+) is part of the UK’s broader effort to reach Net Zero 2050 and to address fuel poverty. It requires larger energy suppliers to fund insulation upgrades in eligible homes, helping residents reduce heat loss and lower their energy consumption.

It is not a government-budgeted “grant fund” in the traditional sense. Instead, it is an obligation placed on private energy companies to deliver energy savings by supporting insulation works. These companies recover their costs indirectly through energy tariffs.

GBIS therefore acts as a complementary scheme to ECO4: while ECO4 provides deep, multi-measure retrofits for low-income homes, GBIS provides a simpler and faster route for a broader group of households to access basic insulation upgrades.

Who is involved

UK Government (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) – sets the overall policy and legal framework.
Ofgem (Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) – regulates delivery, audits suppliers, and reports on progress.
Energy Suppliers – companies such as British Gas, Octopus Energy, E.ON, and EDF are required to meet energy-saving targets by funding insulation works.
Accredited Installers – registered professionals who survey homes and carry out the installation work under PAS 2030/2035 standards.
Local Authorities – may help identify eligible households under local-flexibility routes and coordinate delivery within their areas.

When did it start and what stage are we in now

Launch: April 2023
End date: 31 March 2026

The scheme was established by the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4 and GBIS) Order 2023. By early 2025, the scheme had installed over 59,000 measures, showing steady but slower-than-target progress towards its aim of assisting roughly 300,000 homes over its lifetime.

GBIS is currently in its main delivery phase, with insulation work ongoing across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Where does it apply

GBIS applies across Great Britain — that is, England, Scotland, and Wales.
Northern Ireland operates its own separate energy-efficiency programmes and is not covered by GBIS.

Regional delivery data show higher activity in North West England, Yorkshire & Humber, and the West Midlands, while uptake in rural and southern regions depends more heavily on installer availability and local authority participation

Why does the UK have the GBIS scheme

The Great British Insulation Scheme was created to tackle three ongoing national challenges:

High energy bills – many households spend a large portion of income on heating, especially in older, poorly insulated homes.
Low energy efficiency – the UK has one of the oldest housing stocks in Europe, with significant heat loss through roofs, walls, and floors.
Climate goals – domestic heating accounts for a large share of national carbon emissions; improving insulation is one of the most cost-effective ways to cut these emissions.

By focusing on insulation, GBIS helps reduce household costs and supports national commitments to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

How much funding and impact are we talking about

Total budget: Around £1 billion over 2023–2026.
Households supported: Target of ≈ 300,000 homes.
Measures installed (as of 2025): ≈ 59,000.
Focus: Low-cost, high-impact insulation measures.

Although progress is below initial targets, each installed measure represents a significant and permanent improvement in household energy efficiency, reducing long-term energy demand.

How does the scheme work

Obligation: Large and medium energy suppliers are legally required to deliver a set amount of energy savings by funding insulation in eligible homes.
Eligibility check: Homeowners, landlords, or tenants can be identified through local authorities, suppliers, or directly via registered installers.
Survey: An accredited installer conducts an on-site energy assessment to determine which insulation measures are suitable.
Approval and funding: If the property qualifies, the supplier funds the work fully or partially (depending on household group and measure type).
Installation: Certified installers carry out the insulation following PAS 2030/2035 standards to ensure quality.
Verification: Ofgem audits data and ensures compliance before suppliers can claim credit towards their targets.

All work is funded indirectly by energy suppliers, not from general taxation.

Who is eligible

GBIS is divided into two main eligibility categories:

1. General Group

Homes in Council Tax bands A – D (England) or A – E (Scotland & Wales).
Properties with an EPC rating of D, E, F or G (i.e., low efficiency).
Homeowners, private tenants, and social housing residents may qualify (subject to property condition and landlord consent).

2. Low-Income Group

Households receiving means-tested benefits (e.g., Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, Child Tax Credit).
Properties with EPC D or below.
Households in this group may receive full funding for certain insulation measures, depending on assessment.

Eligibility always depends on property type, existing insulation, and survey findings. Being eligible does not guarantee an installation; final approval is subject to feasibility and supplier capacity.

What measures are covered

GBIS supports primarily insulation measures that deliver cost-effective and immediate energy savings. These include:

Loft insulation (including top-ups)
Cavity wall insulation
Solid wall insulation (external or internal)
Room-in-roof insulation
Underfloor insulation (solid or suspended floors)
Flat or pitched roof insulation
Park-home insulation

In the low-income group, certain small secondary measures — such as thermostatic radiator valves or heating controls — may also be included if combined with a main insulation upgrade.

Current challenges

Delivery speed: Installations are progressing slower than initial forecasts, partly due to installer availability and regional differences.
Awareness: Many eligible households remain unaware of the scheme or uncertain about how to access it.
Quality assurance: As with other retrofit schemes, ensuring high installation standards under PAS 2035 is critical to maintain confidence.
Targeting: Balancing support between general and low-income groups while ensuring fairness and efficiency remains a policy challenge.
Administrative complexity: Different eligibility routes (general vs low-income, supplier vs local authority) can create confusion for households.

Important notes

Scheme duration: April 2023 – March 2026.
Oversight: Regulated and verified by Ofgem.
Funding mechanism: Obligation on large energy suppliers, not a direct government grant.
Coverage: Great Britain only (England, Scotland, Wales).
Applications: As of late 2024, new direct applications through GOV.UK are marked as closed to new applicants; however, installations already approved continue until scheme end.
Quality standards: All work must comply with PAS 2030/2035 and TrustMark accreditation.

In summary

The Great British Insulation Scheme is one of the key elements of the UK’s energy-efficiency strategy, designed to make homes warmer, more affordable to heat, and less polluting. By focusing on straightforward insulation measures, it complements the deeper retrofit work under ECO4.

While challenges remain in reaching all eligible households and maintaining consistent quality, GBIS continues to deliver tangible benefits for thousands of families across Great Britain, helping to improve comfort, lower energy use, and support the transition towards a more energy-efficient, low-carbon future.