The £15 billion Warm Homes Plan is reshaping how UK homes are upgraded. ECO4 closes December 2026. Solar is now the most-installed Warm Homes measure. Here’s what it means for your home.
The Warm Homes Plan is the UK Government’s overarching strategy to improve the energy efficiency of UK homes, backed by £15 billion of public investment. It aims to upgrade up to 5 million homes by 2030 through a combination of grants, loans and publicly funded delivery programmes.
Crucially, the Warm Homes Plan represents a fundamental shift in how Government funds home-energy improvements. The old ECO model — where energy suppliers were obligated to fund measures — is coming to an end. ECO4 closes on 31 December 2026. What replaces it is publicly funded, primarily through Warm Homes programmes.
Key policy shift: The Government has confirmed the transition away from the supplier-obligation ECO model toward publicly funded Warm Homes delivery. ECO4 is the last major ECO-style scheme.
DESNZ reports around 5,470 households upgraded and 11,250 measures installed to the end of July 2026 (up from ~5,100 households / 10,460 measures last month). Solar PV leads at 38%, insulation 24%, and batteries have risen to 18%. Regionally the South East leads (23% of upgraded homes), then the North West (19% — and the highest average measures per household at 2.33) and the East of England (14%). TrustMark holds ~14,700 lodged measures across ~6,700 households, so validated totals are likely to revise upward under DESNZ’s new methodology. Figures are provisional. Next release: Thursday 26 November 2026.
| Scheme | Status | Covers | Who for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | ✅ Open | Solar, insulation, heat pumps, batteries, smart controls | EPC D–G, income <£36k, homeowners |
| ECO4 | 📅 Open to Dec 2026 | Insulation, heating | Benefits/low income |
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) | ✅ Open | Heat pumps, biomass | Homeowners in England & Wales |
| Warm Homes Loan Scheme | 🕐 Consumer rollout expected Sept 2026 | Solar, batteries, heat pumps, insulation | Homeowners |
| Warm Home Discount | 🕐 Reopens October 2026 | £150 electricity bill discount | Low income / automatic |
| GBIS | ❌ Closed March 2026 | — | — |
Source: UK Government / DESNZ. Last checked: August 2026. Scheme status may change — check official sources before applying.
Government statistics published on 30 July 2026 showed that through the Warm Homes: Local Grant programme to the end of June 2026:
This is a significant finding. Solar panels are now the most common single measure being delivered through the flagship publicly funded Warm Homes scheme — ahead of insulation. This reflects the Government’s intent for the Warm Homes Plan to drive the rollout of a wide range of home-energy technologies, not just insulation.
Solar first: 38% of Warm Homes: Local Grant installations to end-July 2026 were solar PV. If you may be eligible, solar should be on your shortlist alongside insulation.
The Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) is currently the most significant publicly funded scheme for owner-occupiers and private tenants. It is delivered through local authorities across England. Funding can cover:
Eligibility (typical)
Property EPC: D–G
Household income: up to £36,000
Homeowner or private tenant
England only
Postcode eligibility applies
The Government formally published the Warm Homes Loan Scheme rules in June 2026. This is a new subsidised finance mechanism designed to support homeowners who do not qualify for grants but want to fund solar, batteries, heat pumps and other improvements.
Consumer rollout Warm Homes Loan Scheme rollout is underway. The first lender application round has closed, with further lender participation expected later in 2026. Consumer products will become available as approved lenders launch them. Lender applications have been processed. Participating Warm Homes Loan Scheme rollout is underway — the first lender application round has closed, with further lender participation expected later in 2026. Consumer products will become available as approved lenders launch them. We will update this guide when confirmed.
ECO4 is the last major scheme under the supplier-obligation ECO model. When it closes on 31 December 2026, the Government has confirmed the transition to publicly funded Warm Homes delivery rather than a new ECO5 scheme.
There is currently no confirmed ECO5 scheme. Some commercial websites claim ECO5 is launching after ECO4 closes. The Government has not confirmed this. The publicly stated direction is toward Warm Homes Plan programmes funded directly by Government rather than supplier obligation. We will not report ECO5 as confirmed until the Government confirms it.
No. ECO4 is a separate supplier-obligation scheme closing December 2026. The Warm Homes Plan is the Government’s broader long-term strategy for upgrading UK homes, delivered through several programmes including the Warm Homes: Local Grant, the Warm Homes Loan Scheme and future publicly funded delivery.
There is currently no confirmed ECO5 scheme. The Government has stated the supplier-obligation ECO model is coming to an end. Warm Homes programmes represent the new direction. We will update this page if the Government confirms any successor scheme.
WH:LG is delivered through local authorities in England. If your local council is participating, they will arrange and fund the agreed works through their delivery partners. You don’t apply through Insulation Comparisons — we can help you check eligibility and understand what measures may be available, then direct you to the official council route.
The scheme rules were published in June 2026. Consumer loan products are Warm Homes Loan Scheme rollout is underway. The first lender application round has closed, with further lender participation expected later in 2026. Consumer products will become available as approved lenders launch them. We will update this guide when participation is confirmed.
According to Government statistics published 30 July 2026, 38% of reported WH:LG measures to the end of June 2026 were solar PV — making solar the most common single measure delivered through the scheme.