Insulation Grants for Landlords: A Complete Guide

UK insulation grants are a great way to cover insulation prices of home upgrades for landlords and their tenants. By using existing government grant schemes, landlords can improve the livability of their homes, reduce the CO2 impact it generates, and even raise the overall value of their properties on the housing market. 

It’s a win-win for both landlords and their tenants!

But how does one go about getting a home insulation grant? Does the tenant apply, or does the landlord? What can a grant cover? This ultimate guide by GreenMatch UK will give you all these answers and more so that you can confidently apply for a grant scheme to upgrade your property. 

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Technically, there are no direct insulation grants for landlords alone. Most often, landlords don’t directly apply for an insulation grant, but tenants can apply on their behalf as they pay the energy bills. The job of a landlord in this circumstance is to give written permission for insulation works to be carried out on their property. 

In the case of full cost coverage, neither the landlord nor the tenant has any financial obligations. However, if the provided grant is only a partial cost coverage, it is the responsibility of the landlord to cover the remaining cost. 

This isn’t such a bad thing though, as the landlord's property will have a higher EPC score and greater market value, and insulation costs can be recouped through tax return declarations.

Any tenant has the legal right to ask their landlord for home insulation upgrades, and any landlord generally has the legal right to accept or reject the request. However, the UK’s Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) requires landlords to improve the energy efficiency of properties with EPC ratings of F and G. 

Landlords are expected to contribute up to £3,500 in home improvements such as floor, loft and wall insulation to increase the EPC rating to E. In the future, there are plans to raise this EPC rating gap even higher. 

If you are a private renter of a property, consult your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to check whether your property rating falls below the guidelines set by the MEES. If so, chances are your landlord may be obliged to improve your home's insulation.

At the moment, there are two key nationwide grant schemes in the UK. These are the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4). 

Both grant schemes exist to help fuel-poor, low-income, and energy-inefficient homes with a wide range of insulation upgrades, in line with the UK’s ambitious Net Zero by 2050 goals. 

Applicants can benefit from these schemes until March 2026 but have to be applied to directly by the tenant. In turn, the landlord will have to provide a written permission statement that allows insulation works to be carried out on their property. It’s strongly recommended to apply sooner rather than later to maximise the chances of landing assistance through a grant scheme.

The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is a government initiative that focuses on delivering a single insulation measure per qualifying household, such as wall insulation grants. This is because the main focus of the GBIS is to expand its nationwide reach across the UK.

The chosen insulation measure is decided after a property assessment to determine what would be the most effective course of action to improve the property's energy efficiency.

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is a government scheme for boosting domestic energy efficiency with a more whole-house approach. The ECO4 places a direct obligation on energy providers to deliver energy-efficient measures for inefficient and fuel-poor homes. 

Unlike the GBIS scheme, the ECO4 provides more than just insulation for house purposes, but also energy upgrades such as heating system replacement, repairs, smart controls and much more.

Tenants who privately rent from a landlord have slightly different eligibility criteria for grant schemes in comparison to homeowners. 

The main criteria for a landlord insulation grant are as follows:

There is currently a list of government benefits and allowances that are generally recognised as a marker of eligibility for a grant scheme. Some of the main ones are: 

If you meet this qualification criteria for a grant scheme, it’s highly recommended to apply. That way, you can save money on an expensive investment, create a more livable home, reduce its environmental impact, and even boost your property value in the housing market.

Home insulation is a gift that keeps on giving. With a wealth of benefits to expect, both tenants and their landlords can benefit from a properly insulated home for years to come. 

Here’s a summary of some of the benefits landlords can enjoy with an insulated property:

As seen, home insulation is not just beneficial for the tenant, but for the landlord as well. It’s an all-round winning solution to bettering your savings, your property, and even the environment.

Generally, insulation grants are applied for by the tenant with the given permission of the landlord, but the landlord can apply on behalf of the tenant in certain circumstances.

The application process doesn’t differ whether you apply as a tenant or a landlord, or whether you apply for free loft insulation or some other measure, but requires the full details of the tenant residing in the landlord's property. 

The process of applying for a grant is as follows:

While it seems straightforward enough, a professional installer at a favourable price can sometimes feel like a needle in a haystack. Prospective landlords, tenants, and homeowners often find themselves endlessly cycling through web pages and phone calls with no clear choice in sight. That’s where GreenMatch UK comes in!

Through our services and wide-spanning network of trusted installers in the UK, we can save you from the burden of researching and vetting. Just spend 30 seconds filling out our simple online form, and we’ll deliver you up to 3 free home-tailored quotes from trusted installers at competitive prices. No hidden charges or extra obligations apply. Click below to begin!