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Free boiler and insulation grants
ECO4 still pays for a boiler or insulation on a low income, until 31 December 2026. The Great British Insulation Scheme has closed. Who qualifies, and how to avoid scams.
Written by the benefitmoney.co.uk editorial team · Last reviewed 10 September 2026
If your home is cold because of an old boiler or no insulation, the work is paid for through your energy supplier. Two schemes did this. ECO4 is still running — it was extended and now runs to 31 December 2026. The Great British Insulation Scheme has closed: it ended on 31 March 2026. So if you need help now, ECO4 is the one that matters.
ECO4 — boiler and heating
ECO4 is open until 31 December 2026. It is the fuller scheme: repairing or replacing a broken boiler, heating upgrades and insulation together. It is for low-income and vulnerable households — if you get Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Child Benefit or Housing Benefit you are likely to qualify. You apply through a participating supplier or your council, not through a cold-caller.
Source: GOV.UK — Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)↗. Opened 10 September 2026. Ofgem confirms ECO4 “will run until 31 December 2026, following a nine-month extension”. Checked 10 September 2026.
Great British Insulation Scheme — closed
GBIS closed on 31 March 2026 and is no longer taking applications. It paid for a single insulation measure — loft or cavity-wall insulation, for example. Its eligibility was wider than ECO4’s: a General Group (Council Tax bands A–D in England, A–E in Scotland and Wales, with an EPC of D or below), plus a Low Income Group on means-tested benefits. If you were counting on GBIS for insulation, ECO4 can still cover insulation — but only for low-income and vulnerable households.
Source: GOV.UK — Great British Insulation Scheme↗; Ofgem. Checked 10 September 2026.
What about the £7,500 boiler grant?
That is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for heat pumps. It is not means-tested and is aimed at replacing a working boiler with a low-carbon system — useful, but not the low-income route this page is about.
While you wait
See help with energy bills for discounts and arrears help, and your council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund for fuel vouchers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really get a free boiler?
If you are on a qualifying low income or benefit, ECO4 can repair or replace a broken boiler at no or low cost — applied for through your council or an Ofgem-listed supplier, not a cold-caller.
What is the difference between ECO4 and GBIS?
ECO4 covers heating, boilers and insulation for low-income households and runs to 31 December 2026. GBIS covered single insulation measures with wider eligibility, but it closed on 31 March 2026.
When do the schemes end?
The Great British Insulation Scheme has already ended — it closed on 31 March 2026. ECO4 was extended and runs to 31 December 2026, so it is still open. No successor scheme has been confirmed.
Someone called offering a free boiler — is it real?
Treat unsolicited calls or texts as a scam. Apply yourself through your council or an Ofgem-listed supplier, and never give bank details to a cold-caller.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)↗. Opened 10 September 2026.
- GOV.UK — Great British Insulation Scheme↗. Checked 10 September 2026.
- Ofgem — Great British Insulation Scheme↗ (scheme ran April 2023 to 31 March 2026). Checked 10 September 2026.
- Ofgem — Energy Company Obligation (ECO)↗ (ECO4 extended to 31 December 2026). Checked 10 September 2026.
This page is independent. It is not run by the DWP, GOV.UK, Ofgem or any energy supplier. Scheme rules and end dates change — check the GOV.UK pages linked above.