Great British Insulation Scheme
Save money on your bills by making your home more energy efficient with the newest government funded scheme.
The Great British Insulation Scheme could help you with the cost of installing new home insulation.
What is this scheme?
Insulating your home is one of the best things you can do to reduce your energy bills by preventing heat loss from your walls and roof, but it can be a large upfront expense which a lot of people can't afford.
The Great British Insulation Scheme is government funded and designed to help eligible groups of people install insulations in their home, which could save homes around £300 a year on energy bills. The fund aims to help around 300,000 people and could mean free or reduced costs for home insulation.
Unlike other schemes the Great British Insulation Scheme will boost help for those on the lowest incomes as well as support to a wider group of households who live in the least energy efficient homes in the country.
Am I eligible?
There are two groups who can apply for the Great British Insulation Scheme - a general group and a low-income group. The eligibility criteria for each group differ, so read carefully to see whether you qualify.
You don't need to be an Octopus Energy customer to apply for the scheme.
General Group
To be eligible for the general group, you must: ✅ live in a home in council tax bands A to D (England)
✅ live in a home in council tax bands A to E (Scotland and Wales)
✅ have an EPC rating of D to G (find your EPC)
✅ Private renters: your EPC must be in band D or E
If you qualify, you will receive one insulation upgrade and you may be required to contribute a small amount towards the installation costs. (Which is around 10% of the whole cost)
Low Income Group
To be eligible for the low-income group, you must: ✅ receive qualifying benefits
✅ live in the least efficient housing
✅ have an EPC rating of D to G
This group will be eligible for lower cost or free insulation and owner occupied households could receive heating controls too
Low-income group qualifying benefits
You will need to have one or more of these benefits to qualify for the low-income group
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)
- Income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Pension Credit Saving Credit
- Child Benefit*
- Warm Home Discount payment
If you're in receipt of child benefits only*
Find your EPC rating:
Find your energy certificate if you live in Scotland, or if you live in England or Wales or ask your landlord or housing association.
What to expect before you apply
Check eligibility
Check if you're eligible and apply for the scheme. We'll double check all the information and pass you onto a trusted installer.
Home survey
One of our trusted installer will contact you to ask you about your home and book a home survey if your home seems like it could benefit for some upgrades. They will arrange your in-home survey.
Book an install
The installer will suggest some improvements to your home including costs, if you're happy they will book you in for an installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating?
Find your energy certificate if you live in Scotland, or if you live in England or Wales or ask your landlord or housing association.
Where do I find my council tax band?
You can visit the gov.uk website if you live in England or Wales.
If you live in Scotland, you can find this on the Scottish Assessors website.
I rent my property from a private landlord - do I qualify?
Yes! The scheme is available for privately rented properties - you just need to receive the qualifying benefits, check your home has an EPC rating of D or E and have permission from your landlord.
I live in social housing - do I qualify?
You will need to contact your local authority or landlord for further info on eco schemes available for you.
Do I need my landlords permission?
Yes, you must have the owner’s permission to do the work.
Will I have to pay for any of this?
You may be required to pay a contribution toward the cost but this will not be known until after the initial in-home survey and will depend on the group you fall into.
Who will install the insulation to my home?
One of our trusted installers will perform the survey and installations.
Can I pick the insulation I want?
The insulation the installer recommends will be based on what will reduce your energy use, rather than your preference.
The installer will perform a survey on your home to determine what home improvement recommendations might be suitable for your home for maximum energy savings.
What type of installation will be offered?
Octopus Energy are only offering Loft Insulation & Cavity Wall Insulation under this scheme.
Please be aware that when installing any insulation measure, we will also be installing ventilation to adhere to PAS2035 regulations:
- Trickle vents will be installed to all windows that don’t currently have any.
- Mechanical extractor fans will be added to any wet rooms that don’t currently have them (eg kitchen, bathrooms).
This is to prevent the risk of damp building in your property.
Insulation cannot be installed without approved ventilation being carried out.
Hey I'm Constantine, welcome to Octopus Energy!
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