This page is for homeowners and private tenants who want help from their local council. It explains how council-run energy funding works and how to check whether your area takes part. It also points readers in Scotland and Wales to their national schemes. See our support fund guide for the full picture of low-income help.
For the broader overview, read our guide: Support Fund.
Independent guide. We are not a lender or a government body. Always check current scheme rules with the official provider.
How council funding works in England
Warm Homes: Local Grant is the main council-delivered energy grant in England. Local authorities run it over three years from April 2025. The scheme has £500 million across 73 projects and around 270 authorities. Your council decides how it promotes the scheme and handles applications in your area.
The grant targets privately owned homes with an EPC rating of D to G. Households need a gross income of £36,000 or less, a means-tested benefit, or an address in a lowest-income-decile area. It can fund solar and battery up to £15,000 and heating up to £15,000.
How to find out if your council takes part
Not every council runs the scheme in the same way. We do not list councils, because participation changes. Use the official routes below to check your own area. Each takes only a few minutes.
- Use the GOV.UK Warm Homes: Local Grant eligibility checker with your postcode.
- Search your council's website for its home energy or Warm Homes page.
- Phone or email your council's housing or energy team if you find nothing online.
- Ask what the council needs from you and how it handles installers.
Scotland and Wales
Councils outside England do not deliver Warm Homes: Local Grant. Scotland and Wales run national schemes instead. In Scotland, contact Home Energy Scotland about its grant and interest-free loan. In Wales, contact Nest, the Welsh Government scheme. In Northern Ireland, check Energy Saving Trust advice for current schemes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my council offers Warm Homes: Local Grant?
Use the GOV.UK eligibility checker or contact your council directly. We do not list councils because participation changes.
Does the council choose my installer?
Ask your council how it works. Arrangements vary between local authorities.
I live in Scotland. Can my council help?
Contact Home Energy Scotland for the national grant and loan. It covers heat pumps and biomass boilers.
I rent my home. Can I apply?
Privately rented homes can qualify, but your landlord needs to take part. Speak to your landlord and your council.
Is the council grant the same as ECO4?
No. ECO4 is a separate scheme run through energy suppliers. It ends on 31 December 2026.
So you can contact the right local or national body and avoid callers who only claim to represent your council.
WHLS Editorial Team
Our editorial team writes independent, plain-English guides on home energy finance. We review guides when scheme rules change.
References
- Energy Saving Trust – Warm Homes: Local Grant guide (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK – Extending the ECO4 end date: government response (opens in a new tab)
- Home Energy Scotland – Grants and loans (opens in a new tab)
- MCS – Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan (opens in a new tab)
- Energy Saving Trust – Welsh Government Nest scheme (opens in a new tab)
- Energy Saving Trust – Boiler Upgrade Scheme (opens in a new tab)
- MCS – Find an installer (opens in a new tab)
