Grants can cover a meaningful share of an EPC upgrade, sometimes all of it. But the landscape shifts constantly, two of the best routes have closing dates, and most of the free money turns on the tenant's circumstances rather than the landlord's. Here are the schemes live in mid-2026, who qualifies, and the order to work through them.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme: £7,500 towards a heat pump

£7,500 towards a heat pump replacing a fossil-fuel system, in England and Wales, funded to 31 December 2027. It is open to landlords and carries no means testing at all. From July 2026 the grant rises to £9,000, but only for off-gas-grid homes. You don't apply directly: an MCS-certified installer applies on your behalf and the voucher comes off their quote.

The planning point that matters: Boiler Upgrade Scheme money is the one funding source that does not count towards your £10,000 cost cap, so a grant-supported heat pump consumes far less of your cap than its price tag suggests.

ECO4: the free route, closing December 2026

The main fully-funded route for poorer or older stock. Funded by the large energy suppliers, delivered at no cost to eligible households across England, Scotland and Wales, and now running to 31 December 2026, first come, first served as supplier budgets deplete.

It takes a whole-house approach, aiming to lift the property at least two EPC bands or to band C. Eligibility hinges on the tenant, not you: the property needs an EPC of D to G, and the household must receive a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit, or be referred by the council under Local Authority Flex for low income or health reasons. You give written consent as landlord and the tenant cooperates with the survey and works. There's no central form: go through a TrustMark-registered ECO installer, an energy supplier's ECO team, or your council's referral programme.

A successor scheme is expected from 2027, but early indications point to lower per-property funding and more complex eligibility. If a tenant qualifies now, ECO4 is the better deal.

Warm Homes: Local Grant

The government's newer flagship, delivered through local councils in England, open now in participating areas with landlords eligible in many of them. It targets lower-income households, broadly £36,000 household income or less or the most deprived areas, in less-efficient homes, and runs to March 2028.

The amounts are the most generous available: up to £15,000 for efficiency measures (insulation, draught-proofing, glazing, solar, battery storage) plus up to a further £15,000 for low-carbon heating. The trade-off: unlike ECO4, private landlords typically contribute 50% of the cost. Apply through your local council's energy or Warm Homes team.

Also worth knowing

  • 0% VAT on installing energy-saving materials (heat pumps, solar, insulation) runs until 31 March 2027, worth around £2,800 on a £14,000 installation. Applied automatically by the installer.
  • Warm Homes loans (low or zero interest) are coming, but aimed primarily at owner-occupiers; watch the detail rather than counting on them.
  • The Great British Insulation Scheme closed to new measures on 31 March 2026, so it's no longer an option.

Grants at a glance

Scheme Who qualifies Amount Apply via / deadline
Boiler Upgrade Scheme Any landlord, no means test; MCS install £7,500 (£9,000 off-gas-grid from Jul 2026) MCS installer claims it; funded to 31 Dec 2027
ECO4 Tenant on qualifying benefits or council referral; EPC D-G Fully funded TrustMark/ECO installer, supplier or council; closes 31 Dec 2026
Warm Homes: Local Grant Lower-income household; EPC D-G; participating English councils Up to £15k + £15k; ~50% landlord contribution Local council; runs to Mar 2028
0% VAT Any landlord, England and Wales ~£2,800 on a £14k install Automatic via installer; ends 31 Mar 2027

How to go about it, in order

First, establish the tenant's eligibility, since the free routes depend on it. Raise benefits or income tactfully and early, because you need their consent for the survey and the works. Second, use accredited installers: TrustMark for insulation and ECO, MCS for heat pumps, and let them handle the scheme paperwork. Third, sequence the work: insulation before heating, because it's usually the cheaper grant-funded measure and a heat pump grant can require recommended loft or cavity insulation to be done first. Fourth, keep every invoice and before-and-after record; you'll need them for the cost cap and any exemption. And remember: grant funding counts towards your £10,000 cap, with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme the exception.

A final word of caution: amounts, eligibility and funding windows change often and vary by area, so always confirm the live position with the provider or your council before committing.

For the full 2030 picture, see the cornerstone guide: EPC rules for landlords: what you need to do now.

Want help sequencing the work? Order an EPC for £95 or talk to the team.

Scheme details are a snapshot of mid-2026 and change often. General guidance, not legal or financial advice.