The Warm Homes Plan

What to know first

These are the main points to understand before comparing schemes, installers or home improvements.

Could these upgrades suit your home?

Only a property-specific assessment can establish suitable design, likely performance, planning or building requirements and whether a particular improvement is appropriate for your home. An online form, an Energy Performance Certificate or a general guide cannot replace that assessment.

Introduction

The Warm Homes Plan is the UK Government’s long-term programme for improving home energy efficiency, expanding lower-carbon heating and power, and strengthening the way support is delivered. It brings together live schemes, future reforms and public investment rather than creating one universal application for every household.

The plan was published in January 2026 and updated in March 2026. It sets ambitions for the period to 2030, including support for insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, batteries, heat networks and consumer finance. Some parts are already live, some are changing, and others still depend on further policy, scheme design or legislation.

This guide gives general information, not a property-specific survey or system design. Scheme rules, planning requirements, technical standards and available products can differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Check the territory and current rules before acting.

What problem is the plan trying to solve?

A home can be expensive to heat because it loses warmth through the roof, walls, floors, windows and uncontrolled draughts. Poor ventilation, water ingress or cold surfaces can also contribute to damp and mould. Replacing a heating system without understanding those issues can leave the main problem untouched.

Support has also been difficult to navigate. Households may encounter national grants, supplier obligations, council programmes, landlord-led schemes, lender products and different installer requirements. The Warm Homes Plan aims to make that landscape easier to understand while increasing delivery capacity and consumer protection.

What is the plan aiming to achieve by 2030?

The published plan describes £15 billion of public investment and an ambition to upgrade up to five million homes. It also refers to up to three million additional homes with solar panels, more than 450,000 heat pump installations a year by 2030, and modelling in which up to one million households could be lifted out of fuel poverty.

These are programme-level ambitions and modelled outcomes. They do not guarantee that a particular household will receive funding, achieve a stated saving or be able to install a specific technology. Delivery depends on budgets, scheme rules, local capacity, property suitability and consumer take-up.

How is the consumer journey expected to change?

The government intends to develop a Warm Homes Agency and a more joined-up advice offer. The plan says an online and telephone consumer service is intended from 2027. The agency’s functions and delivery arrangements are being developed, so it is better to treat this as planned infrastructure rather than a complete service already available today.

For now, the practical route still depends on the measure and the scheme. A council may manage a local grant, an MCS-certified installer usually leads a Boiler Upgrade Scheme application, a social landlord commissions work for its stock, and a participating lender decides whether to offer a Warm Homes Loan Scheme product.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is for UK homeowners, private and social renters, landlords and leaseholders who want to understand the Warm Homes Plan and the home upgrades associated with it. It is also useful if you are planning work without grant support and want to recognise the same design, quality and consumer-protection questions.

Nation-specific schemes are identified where they materially affect the route. Many of the current grant examples in this guide apply to England, while the Boiler Upgrade Scheme covers England and Wales and ECO4 covers Great Britain. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have separate public support and building systems, so a UK-wide headline should not be treated as a single set of rules.

What this guide covers

• Who may be able to use current grants, finance and landlord-led routes.

• What is live now, what has closed, and what is planned through to 2030.

• How EPCs and property assessments differ, and why both have limits.

• How to sequence insulation, ventilation, heating, solar and controls.

• What to check before comparing quotes, installers, warranties and finance.

• How renters, landlords, flats and restricted properties may be affected.

• How to recognise pressure selling, misleading grant claims and weak complaint routes.

By the end, you should be able to identify the right official starting point, prepare better questions and recognise where a property-specific professional assessment is needed.

Who can get support

The Warm Homes Plan is not a single benefit with one eligibility test. Support is delivered through several routes, each with its own territory, property rules, household criteria, delivery body and budget. Some routes are targeted at lower-income households; others support a particular technology or offer lender finance.

A headline saying that funding is “available” does not show that it is available for your home. Check who applies, whether the scheme is open in your area, whether the property and measure qualify, and what evidence or installer standards are required.

The main support routes at a glance

If you own and live in your home

Owner-occupiers may encounter several routes. In England, a participating council can assess applications for the Warm Homes: Local Grant. The published consumer criteria include privately owned homes with an Energy Performance Certificate generally rated D to G. A household may qualify through gross annual income of £36,000 or less, an eligible benefit or an eligible postcode route, subject to the detailed rules and council funding. The occupant does not pay for work offered through the grant, although a private landlord may have to contribute.

For lower-carbon heating in England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides grants for eligible installations. The application is normally made by the MCS-certified installer, with the value taken off the amount the property owner pays. It is not a general reimbursement for work arranged outside the scheme process.

The Warm Homes Loan Scheme is a different route. It is intended to support eligible home improvements through products offered by participating lenders. Consumer products are being introduced in phases from September 2026, so product availability, rates, security, fees, credit checks and eligible measures depend on the lender and the live offer.

If you live in social housing

Social housing upgrades are usually arranged by the council or housing association, not applied for by an individual tenant. Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 funding was allocated to registered providers and local authorities for projects in England, with delivery continuing through the programme period.

Ask your landlord whether your building or estate is included in a funded programme. Before work starts, you should receive practical information about the proposed measures, access, disruption, ventilation, resident support, warranties and the route for reporting defects.

A tenant’s experience of cold, damp, mould or unusually high heating demand can be useful evidence, but it does not by itself determine the technical solution. Report problems through the landlord’s formal repair route and keep dated records.

If you rent privately

Most substantial changes need the landlord’s agreement because they affect the building or fixed services. A tenant may help identify a problem and may be part of a household eligibility route, but the landlord or managing agent normally commissions the work and deals with property consent.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant can support eligible privately rented homes in England, but the council assesses the route and the landlord may have to contribute. Do not pay an introducer simply because they say your tenancy or benefit status makes the property “automatically approved”.

Current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in England and Wales generally prevent a domestic private rented property with an EPC below E from being let unless a valid exemption applies. The government has announced a higher future standard for 2030, but the legislative changes remain subject to Parliamentary approval.

If you are a landlord

Landlords need to separate current duties from future policy. Check the existing EPC, any registered exemption, repair obligations, tenant consultation, planning or freeholder consent, and the standards attached to any public funding. Do not assume that a proposed 2030 rule has already replaced current law.

A good upgrade plan considers the whole property. Insulation without moisture control can create complaints. A heat pump without heat-loss and emitter calculations can underperform. Solar or batteries in a block may require roof rights, electrical design, metering decisions and leaseholder consultation.

What no provider can confirm from a short form

A preliminary form may help identify possible routes, but it cannot confirm grant eligibility, reserve public money, approve a lender product, determine planning status or design a heating system. Those decisions sit with the relevant council, scheme administrator, lender, landlord, installer or authority.

Be cautious when a caller treats a few household questions as a completed survey. Ask for the official scheme name, the delivery organisation, the property checks still required and the written basis for any claim about cost or funding.

What to expect year by year

The plan runs through to 2030, but not every change happens on a single launch date. It is more useful to separate closed schemes, live schemes, confirmed transitions and future proposals. The status of a policy matters as much as the date attached to it.

What changed by spring 2026?

The Great British Insulation Scheme closed on 31 March 2026. Applications or work already in a delivery pipeline may have their own completion arrangements, but new enquiries should not be presented as a fresh GBIS entitlement after that date.

The Warm Homes Plan was published in January 2026 and updated in March. It set the spending framework and direction for the rest of the Parliament, while leaving some detailed delivery rules to later documents, scheme administrators and legislation.

What is confirmed for the rest of 2026?

ECO4 has been extended to 31 December 2026 across Great Britain. This was confirmed after consultation, so it should no longer be described merely as a proposal. Supplier and delivery-partner checks still apply, and the extension does not make every household or measure eligible.

The Warm Homes Loan Scheme entered an initial consumer launch phase from September 2026. Lenders can introduce products at different times and on different terms. Check the current participating lender, the exact measure covered, whether the loan is secured, the rate and fees, and the effect of missing payments before applying.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme continues in England and Wales. Current support includes £7,500 for eligible air-to-water heat pumps and ground- or water-source heat pumps, £2,500 for eligible residential air-to-air heat pumps, and £5,000 for eligible biomass boilers. A temporary £9,000 grant applies to certain eligible off-gas properties replacing oil or LPG between 21 July 2026 and 31 March 2027. Current Ofgem rules should be checked before a contract is signed.

What is intended from 2027?

The government intends the consumer journey to become more joined-up from 2027, including online and telephone information associated with the planned Warm Homes Agency. This is an intended service direction, not a reason to ignore live official routes in 2026.

Reformed Energy Performance Certificates for England and Wales are also intended to launch in the second half of 2027, subject to Parliamentary approval and implementation work. Until then, current EPCs and current legal requirements continue to apply.

What is planned for 2027/28 and beyond?

The plan describes a more integrated low-income capital programme from 2027/28, drawing together local and social-housing delivery. Details such as application routes, local allocations and eligible measures should be taken from the live scheme documents when they are published.

Through to 2030, the government aims to increase heat pump, solar and home-upgrade delivery and to tighten standards in parts of the housing market. Capacity, workforce skills, supply chains and consumer protection will influence how quickly those ambitions reach individual homes.

Should you wait for a future scheme?

Waiting may be reasonable when a live system is safe and affordable and a major renovation is already planned. It can also make sense where future building work would otherwise undo an upgrade. However, delay has costs if the home is very cold, damp, unsafe or expensive to heat.

Start with the problem rather than the policy calendar. Repairs to leaks, safe boiler maintenance, functional extract ventilation, straightforward draught control and suitable loft insulation may be sensible before a future funding route is clear. A professional assessment can help avoid work that would later need to be removed or repeated.

A simple annual check

1. Confirm the current scheme name, territory and application status on an official page.

2. Check whether the relevant council, landlord, installer or lender is actually participating.

3. Ask which property assessment and technical standards will be used.

4. Compare the full cost, grant or loan contribution, exclusions and complaint route in writing.

5. Recheck any future policy before treating it as a legal requirement or guaranteed offer.

What an assessment involves

An assessment should turn a broad ambition such as “make the house warmer” into a property-specific plan. It gathers evidence about the building, the heating system, moisture, ventilation, occupancy and the work already carried out. The depth needed depends on the proposed measure.

An Energy Performance Certificate can be a useful starting point, but it is not a detailed retrofit design. A grant check is not a building survey. A heat-pump quotation should not replace a room-by-room heat-loss calculation, and a solar quote should not replace roof, shading and electrical checks.

Start with your EPC, but understand its limits

An Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC, estimates a property’s energy performance using a standard method. It gives a rating, records assumed building features and suggests improvements. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you can search the official register by address. Scotland uses a separate register and system.

The certificate is designed to make properties comparable. It is not a guarantee of your bills, a diagnosis of damp or a full specification for work. Assumptions may be used where construction details are hidden or evidence is unavailable, so check whether the recorded wall, roof, heating and glazing details match the home.

An older EPC may still be legally valid for up to ten years, but it may not reflect later work or current policy. A scheme, lender or installer may require a new certificate or other evidence. Check the particular rules rather than assuming age alone decides whether it can be used.

How to find or obtain the right certificate

1. Search the official government EPC register for the property address.

2. Check the certificate date, rating, recorded construction and recommendations.

3. Gather invoices, guarantees and photos for improvements completed after the assessment.

4. Use an accredited domestic energy assessor if a new certificate is needed.

5. Keep the certificate and supporting evidence with your quotes and completion documents.

Do not pay a caller simply to “unlock” an EPC. Searching the official register is free. A fee is normally charged only when you commission a new assessment from an accredited assessor.

What a whole-home assessment should examine

A good assessment looks at how the home works as a system. It should identify where heat is lost, where moisture comes from, how fresh air enters and stale air leaves, how rooms are heated, and whether proposed work changes any of those relationships.

• Construction: wall, roof, floor, window and extension types, including later alterations.

• Condition: leaks, cracks, failed gutters, damp, mould, rot and unsafe materials.

• Ventilation: extract fans, air bricks, trickle vents, chimneys and background airflow.

• Heating: appliance condition, controls, pipework, radiators, hot-water demand and fuel.

• Electricity: consumer unit, earthing, available capacity and proposed new loads.

• Constraints: listed status, conservation area, lease, roof rights, access and planning.

• Household use: occupied rooms, comfort needs, working patterns and future changes.

The result should be more than a shopping list. It should explain priorities, dependencies, likely disruption, evidence gaps and what needs specialist design. When a public scheme uses PAS 2035 or another retrofit framework, ask who carries the assessment and design responsibilities and how changes will be recorded.

Extra checks for heat pumps

A heat-pump design needs a room-by-room heat-loss calculation, not only a floor-area estimate. The installer should consider the design outdoor temperature, target indoor temperatures, flow temperature, radiator or underfloor output, pipework, hot-water demand, electrical supply, outdoor-unit siting, condensate and noise.

Ask to see the assumptions and the proposed operating temperatures. A headline unit size or seasonal efficiency figure does not show how the whole system will behave in your home. The final choice should be based on the property and the complete heating design.

Extra checks for insulation and ventilation

Insulation design should account for wall or roof condition, exposure to rain, hidden cavities, moisture movement, thermal bridges and fire or structural details. Ventilation should be assessed at the same time, particularly when work makes the home more airtight.

A surveyor should not diagnose every dark mark as “lifestyle condensation”. Water ingress, plumbing leaks, bridged damp-proof courses, blocked sub-floor ventilation and cold structural junctions can look similar. The cause affects the remedy.

Extra checks for solar and batteries

Solar photovoltaic design should consider roof condition, orientation, pitch, shading, structural capacity, fire access, cable routes, inverter position, electrical protection and any network notification or approval. For flats or leasehold homes, ownership and roof rights matter before technical design begins.

Battery systems add questions about chemistry, location, temperature, ventilation, fire separation, monitoring, warranty conditions and compatibility with the inverter and tariff. A battery should be sized around a clear use case, such as increasing use of solar generation or shifting demand away from expensive periods, rather than added automatically.

Red flags in an assessment

• The assessor does not inspect the areas affected by the proposed work.

• A grant or finance decision is promised before the scheme or lender checks.

• Moisture, ventilation, electrical or planning questions are dismissed without evidence.

• Savings are quoted without energy use, tariff, weather or occupancy assumptions.

• The report recommends one product but does not explain alternatives or dependencies.

• You are asked to sign a contract before receiving the design, scope and cancellation terms.

Ask for the assessment report and keep it. If the final design changes, the reasons should be recorded and the consequences explained. That paper trail is important for commissioning, warranties and complaints.

The right improvements for your home

There is no single correct package for every property. Two homes with the same EPC rating can have different construction, moisture risks, heating patterns and budgets. The right plan starts with condition and comfort, then considers how measures interact.

Sequence work before choosing products

Some improvements make later work easier; others can be damaged or made redundant by the next project. Roof repairs should usually come before loft insulation. Damp causes should be understood before covering a wall. A future extension may change the heat-loss calculation. Solar panels should not be fitted to a roof that is close to replacement.

Heating design also depends on the fabric. Reducing heat loss can lower the required output, but the final system still needs to be sized for the building as it will be when installed. Do not rely on a hoped-for insulation project that has no design, funding or confirmed timetable.

Use a whole-home decision sequence

1. Make the building safe and weather-tight: repair leaks, dangerous electrics and structural defects.

2. Understand moisture and ventilation before making the home significantly more airtight.

3. Reduce avoidable heat loss with suitable, correctly detailed fabric measures.

4. Design heating and hot water around the resulting heat demand and household use.

5. Add solar, batteries and smart controls where the roof, electrics and use case support them.

6. Commission every system, collect documents and monitor whether it performs as designed.

This is a planning sequence, not a rigid rule that every home must complete one stage before the next. Urgent heating replacement may come first. A funded programme may offer a limited package. The important point is to record what is being assumed and what future work could change.

Choose the outcome you are trying to improve

“Energy efficiency” can hide several different goals. You may want a warmer bedroom, lower peak electricity demand, less condensation, a safer heating system, lower carbon emissions or protection from volatile fuel prices. One measure may help some goals more than others.

For example, draught-proofing can improve comfort quickly but may have a modest effect on the EPC. Solar panels can reduce imported electricity but do not repair a cold wall. A heat pump can reduce fossil-fuel use, but it does not solve roof leaks or missing ventilation. State the problem clearly before comparing solutions.

Plan in affordable phases

A phased plan can be sensible when a deep retrofit is unaffordable or too disruptive. The first phase might cover repairs, controls, ventilation and accessible insulation. A later phase might coincide with re-roofing, an extension or heating replacement.

Ask the assessor to identify measures that could block or increase the cost of a later phase. Examples include placing a cylinder where future access is needed, insulating internally without planning window reveals, or installing solar on a roof due for replacement.

A practical comparison of upgrade areas

Compare measures using more than payback

Treat savings estimates as scenarios

The Warm Homes Plan includes modelled examples and national estimates. They are useful for policy, but they are not personal quotations. Real bills depend on energy use, tariff, weather, occupancy, comfort choices, system efficiency and what is being replaced.

Ask for a low, central and high-use scenario where a proposal relies heavily on bill savings. Check whether standing charges, finance costs, maintenance, export payments and future tariff assumptions are included. A measure can still have comfort or carbon value even when financial payback is uncertain, but the trade-off should be clear.

When doing less may be sensible

Not every recommendation needs to be accepted. A disruptive solid-wall project may be poor value if major repairs are due. A battery may not add much where daytime electricity use is already high and there is no suitable tariff. Replacing a functioning heating system may be less urgent than repairing severe damp or insulation defects.

Doing nothing also has consequences. Costs may continue, the building may deteriorate and future standards may tighten. Compare those consequences with the cost and risk of acting now rather than treating delay as automatically safe or automatically wrong.

Insulation options

Insulation slows heat moving through the building. The best result usually comes from matching the material and detailing to the construction, condition and exposure of the home. Installing the wrong system can trap moisture, bridge ventilation paths or hide defects.

Public schemes may specify assessment, design and installation standards. Those requirements support quality control, but they do not remove the need to understand the proposed system and the complaint route.

Loft and roof insulation

Accessible loft insulation is often one of the least disruptive ways to reduce heat loss. Before adding material, check the roof is dry, loft ventilation is working, electrical cables and recessed lights are treated safely, and water tanks and pipes will remain protected from freezing.

Insulation should be laid evenly without being compressed. Gaps around the loft hatch, eaves and difficult junctions can reduce the benefit. Do not block ventilation at the roof edges. A boarded loft needs a designed raised platform rather than boards pressed onto insulation.

Rooms in the roof need a different approach because the insulation follows slopes, dwarf walls and ceilings. Fire, moisture and ventilation details are more complex, so a quick top-up may not address the main heat-loss paths.

Cavity wall insulation

Cavity wall insulation fills the space between two wall leaves. It can work well where the cavity is suitable, but not every cavity should be filled. The survey should consider wall condition, cavity width and cleanliness, exposure to driving rain, existing damp, flood risk, vents and later alterations.

Ask how the installer will inspect the cavity, what material is proposed, how openings and services are treated, and what guarantee or remedial route applies. Marks on an EPC or a neighbour’s installation do not prove that your wall is suitable.

Solid wall insulation

Solid walls can be insulated internally or externally. External wall insulation changes the outside of the building and can improve continuity around floors, but it affects appearance, roof edges, rainwater goods, vents, meters and boundaries. Planning or listed-building consent may be needed.

Internal wall insulation keeps the external appearance but reduces room area and creates detailed junctions at floors, ceilings, party walls and windows. Moisture assessment and vapour control are important. Poorly treated reveals or gaps can leave cold bridges where condensation forms.

Neither route should be sold as a simple layer of material. Ask for drawings or clear details showing how moisture, fire, ventilation, services and junctions are handled.

Floor insulation

Suspended timber floors can often be insulated from below or by lifting boards. The work should maintain sub-floor ventilation, avoid trapping moisture around joists and protect services. Access, floor coverings and the condition of the void affect disruption and cost.

Solid-floor insulation is usually more disruptive and may be most practical during major refurbishment. Raising the floor affects doors, stairs, kitchen units and damp-proof detailing. Where excavation is proposed, structural and service checks are needed.

Windows, doors and draughts

Replacing windows can reduce heat loss and improve comfort, but it is not always the first or best-value step. Repair, secondary glazing, heavy curtains and professional draught-proofing may be useful alternatives, especially in historic buildings.

Draught-proofing targets uncontrolled gaps around doors, windows, loft hatches and unused openings. It should not block vents required for combustion, moisture control or sub-floor airflow. The distinction between unwanted leakage and planned ventilation is essential.

Insulation and fire or safety risks

Work can disturb electrical cables, gas flues, asbestos-containing materials and fire barriers. External systems can affect boundaries and escape routes; loft work can cover lights or wiring; internal systems can change socket and radiator positions. These are design and site-safety issues, not optional extras.

Do not undertake specialist removal, electrical alteration, gas work or structural work as a do-it-yourself energy-saving measure. Use appropriately qualified people and keep evidence of their registration where the work requires it.

How to protect the quality of the work

• Ask for the survey, design, product system and installation scope in writing.

• Check who is responsible for ventilation, enabling works and making good.

• Confirm the installer’s current scheme registration on the official register.

• Record hidden areas before they are covered and photograph key junctions.

• Do not sign completion until defects, controls and documents are explained.

• Keep guarantees, insurance details, invoices and complaint contacts together.

Where a government-funded retrofit uses TrustMark or PAS 2035, ask for the relevant project documents and the name of the scheme provider. TrustMark registration is useful evidence of participation in a framework, but it is not a promise that every job will be fault-free.

Damp and mould prevention

Damp and mould should be treated as a building and health issue, not simply a cleaning problem. The right response depends on the source of moisture, the temperature of surfaces, ventilation and how the home is heated and used.

Energy upgrades can help by making surfaces warmer and repairing defects. They can also change airflow and moisture movement. That is why ventilation and condition checks should be part of insulation and heating work rather than added after problems appear.

Start by identifying the source

• Condensation: indoor moisture collects on cold surfaces, often in corners or around windows.

• Penetrating damp: rain enters through roofs, walls, windows, gutters or defective seals.

• Plumbing leaks: hidden or intermittent leaks wet walls, floors or ceilings.

• Ground moisture: defects at lower walls or floors may allow moisture to rise or bridge barriers.

• Construction moisture: new plaster, screed or building work releases water while drying.

Patterns matter. Note when and where damp appears, the weather, room temperature, humidity, heating use and any visible defects. Photographs and dates are useful, especially for a landlord, insurer or complaint.

Why insulation changes moisture behaviour

Insulation can raise internal surface temperatures and reduce condensation risk. However, gaps and thermal bridges can leave isolated cold areas. Making a building more airtight can also reduce accidental ventilation, allowing humidity to build if planned ventilation is not adequate.

A design should show how the wall or roof can manage water vapour and dry. The answer varies with construction and exposure. A generic claim that one insulation material is always “breathable” or always prevents damp is not enough.

Why the health warning matters

Government health guidance explains that damp and mould can affect health and that some people face a greater risk of severe effects. Visible mould, persistent musty smells and recurring damp should be investigated rather than normalised.

Seek medical advice if you are concerned about symptoms, particularly for someone with an existing respiratory condition. The building problem still needs to be addressed; cleaning alone does not remove the underlying source.

Ventilation options

Basic ventilation starts with working extract fans in kitchens and bathrooms, clear background vents and safe air paths through the home. Fans should discharge outside, be appropriately sized and run for long enough to remove moisture. Recirculating cooker hoods filter grease but do not remove water vapour from the building.

Some homes use continuous mechanical extract ventilation. Deeper airtightness work may make mechanical ventilation with heat recovery appropriate, but it needs a designed duct system, commissioning, filters and maintenance. Opening windows can help with short bursts of moisture, but it is not a substitute for a reliable whole-year strategy.

Heating and everyday moisture

Steady, affordable background heating can keep surfaces warmer than intermittent short bursts. Drying clothes indoors, cooking, showering and large numbers of occupants all add moisture. Practical changes can reduce the load, but they should not be used to blame occupants for leaks, inadequate heating or defective ventilation.

A dehumidifier can reduce humidity and help while repairs are organised. It uses electricity and does not fix the cause. Anti-mould products can clean a surface, but recurrence means moisture or temperature conditions remain.

If you rent your home

Report damp and mould to the landlord or managing agent in writing. Include dated photographs, affected rooms, any health concerns and earlier reports. Ask for an inspection and a timetable for repairs, not only advice to clean or ventilate.

Routes differ by tenure and nation. Citizens Advice can help with consumer and housing steps, while councils may have environmental health or housing enforcement functions. Social tenants should use their landlord’s complaint process and any relevant housing ombudsman route.

A safer order of work

1. Stop active leaks and make urgent electrical or structural areas safe.

2. Identify the likely moisture source and measure ventilation performance.

3. Repair defects and allow wet materials to dry where necessary.

4. Design insulation and airtightness details around the construction.

5. Install and commission ventilation before or with the fabric work.

6. Monitor humidity, temperature and recurring marks after completion.

Heating upgrades

Heating is where fabric condition, system design, fuel prices and household use meet. A new appliance may be the visible part of the project, but radiators, pipework, hot water, controls, electricity supply and ventilation can determine whether the result is comfortable and affordable.

The Warm Homes Plan aims to expand lower-carbon heating, particularly heat pumps and heat networks. It does not require every home to use the same technology. Suitability and design need to be established for the property.

How heat pumps work in practical terms

A heat pump uses electricity to move heat from air, ground or water into a building. Because it moves heat rather than creating all of it through resistance, it can deliver more heat energy than the electrical energy it uses. The result varies with outdoor conditions, flow temperature, heat demand, controls and installation quality.

Air-to-water heat pumps usually feed radiators or underfloor heating and can heat stored domestic hot water. Air-to-air systems deliver warm air through indoor units and normally need a separate hot-water solution. Ground- and water-source systems use different heat collectors and can require more land, drilling or civil work.

Why low-temperature design matters

Many heat pumps work most efficiently when they produce lower-temperature heating water for longer periods. Comfort can feel different from a boiler that delivers short, very hot bursts. The home should maintain a steady temperature rather than relying on rapid recovery from a deep setback.

Lower flow temperatures mean emitters must provide enough heat with cooler water. Existing radiators may be adequate in some rooms, while others need larger or higher-output models. Underfloor heating can be well suited because it uses a large surface area, but its construction and controls still matter.

What the heat-loss calculation should show

A room-by-room calculation estimates how much heat each space loses under defined winter conditions. It should reflect walls, roof, floor, windows, ventilation and intended indoor temperatures. The result informs heat-pump capacity, emitter sizes and design flow temperature.

Ask the installer what fabric improvements are assumed. If those improvements are not completed, the system may have less capacity than expected. If the unit is oversized, cycling and poor control can also reduce performance. The calculation should support the design rather than be produced only after equipment has been chosen.

Current Boiler Upgrade Scheme support

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is administered by Ofgem for eligible properties in England and Wales. The MCS-certified installer applies for the voucher and normally deducts the grant from the amount charged to the property owner. The installer and installation must follow the scheme process.

A grant is a contribution, not a statement that the complete project will cost that amount. Radiators, a cylinder, pipework, electrical upgrades, ground works, planning, making good and removal of the old system may affect the final price. Obtain an itemised quote.

Air-to-air heat pumps

Air-to-air systems can heat and often cool rooms through indoor fan units. They can suit some homes without a wet central-heating system, but room layout, noise, condensate, external-unit siting and the number of indoor units need careful design.

They do not normally provide domestic hot water, so the proposal should show how showers, baths and taps will be supplied. The £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme route is for eligible residential installations under current Ofgem rules; it should not be described as a universal payment for any air-conditioning system.

Biomass and other alternatives

Biomass boilers burn fuel such as wood pellets and may be supported by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme only in defined circumstances. They need fuel storage, deliveries, ash handling, maintenance, suitable flues and local air-quality consideration. A grant does not make biomass the default answer for an off-gas home.

Direct electric heating can be simple to install but can use expensive electricity for each unit of heat. Modern storage heating and time-of-use tariffs may work for some households. Solar thermal, shared systems and district or communal heating can also be relevant, depending on the building and local infrastructure.

Heat networks and consumer protection

A heat network supplies heating or hot water from a central source to more than one consumer. It may serve a block, estate or local area. The consumer usually cannot choose the physical network in the way they choose a gas or electricity supplier, so billing, reliability, transparency and complaint rights are important.

Ofgem’s heat-network consumer-protection rules began on 27 January 2026 in Great Britain. They introduce standards covering areas such as billing, contracts, back-billing and support for vulnerable consumers. The exact route depends on the network and the issue, so use current Ofgem guidance rather than assuming ordinary electricity-supplier rules apply unchanged.

Questions to ask before replacing heating

• What is the room-by-room heat loss and design outdoor temperature?

• What flow temperature and emitter output are assumed for each room?

• How will hot water be stored, heated and protected against hygiene risks?

• What electrical work, planning, noise or network checks are required?

• What annual electricity or fuel use is modelled, and under which assumptions?

• What happens during defrost, very cold weather or a component failure?

• Who commissions the system, and which values will be recorded at handover?

Solar, batteries and smart controls

Solar panels, batteries and smarter controls can reduce imported electricity or move demand to different times. They do not remove the need for a sound roof, safe electrical design and a tariff that matches how the system will be used.

The Warm Homes Plan aims to expand rooftop solar and storage. Whether a particular package offers good value depends on generation, demand, export terms, finance and the life of the components.

What solar PV can do

Solar photovoltaic panels generate electricity from daylight. Output changes through the day and year and is affected by orientation, pitch, shading, temperature and system losses. UK systems can generate useful electricity, but a brochure’s annual figure should be tied to a site-specific design and recognised calculation method.

Electricity used in the home at the time of generation normally avoids buying that amount from the grid. Surplus can be exported or stored. The value of self-use and export is not the same, so the household load pattern matters.

What the roof and electrical survey should cover

• Roof covering, remaining life, structural capacity and safe access.

• Orientation, pitch and shading through different seasons.

• Panel layout, fire access, boundaries and planning constraints.

• Inverter, isolator, cable and meter positions.

• Consumer-unit condition, earthing and protective devices.

• Distribution-network notification or approval requirements.

• Monitoring access and the documents needed for export payments.

A proposal should explain what happens if the roof needs repair during the system’s life. Removing and refitting panels can add cost. For a leasehold flat, roof ownership and freeholder consent may prevent an individual installation even where the roof is technically suitable.

Smart Export Guarantee payments

The Smart Export Guarantee, or SEG, requires certain larger electricity suppliers in Great Britain to offer payment for eligible small-scale low-carbon electricity exported to the grid. Suppliers set their own tariff rates, contract terms and application requirements, and the rate must be above zero.

You normally need suitable export metering and evidence that the installation meets the supplier’s rules. Compare tariffs rather than assuming the import supplier offers the best export rate. Check whether a fixed or variable payment, contract length, exit terms and battery-export rules fit the system.

When a battery adds value

A home battery stores electricity for later use. It can increase use of solar generation, charge at cheaper times or support a flexible tariff. The benefit depends on usable capacity, round-trip losses, power limits, household demand and how the control system is set.

A battery is not automatically required with solar. A home with high daytime use may already consume much of its generation. Another household may value evening use or tariff shifting. Compare the extra installed cost with a realistic model of imports, exports, degradation and finance.

Ask about installation location, fire and electrical protection, operating temperatures, noise, internet dependence, emergency isolation, product compatibility and the conditions that preserve the warranty.

Smart meters and time-of-use tariffs

A smart meter records energy use in shorter time periods and can support tariffs with different prices through the day. These tariffs can reward moving car charging, water heating, battery charging or some heat-pump demand away from expensive periods.

They can also increase costs if most use remains in a high-price period. Compare the whole tariff, including standing charge, peak rates, off-peak windows, export rate, contract terms and what happens when the tariff changes. A system should remain safe and usable without constant manual intervention.

Controls are part of the design

Good controls make the intended system understandable. Heating controls should match the appliance and emitter design. Solar and battery apps should show generation, use, import, export and faults. The installer should explain settings that the household can change and those that should remain within design limits.

Weather compensation, load compensation, zoning and hot-water schedules can improve operation when correctly set. More zones and devices are not always better; conflicting controls can cause cycling, discomfort or unexpected electricity use.

Avoid buying a stack of disconnected products

Solar, a battery, an electric vehicle charger, a heat pump and a smart tariff can work together, but only when capacity, controls and priorities are coordinated. Ask who is responsible for the overall design and how equipment from different manufacturers communicates.

Check the maximum electrical demand and any export limit. The local distribution network operator may require notification or approval. An export-limitation device needs commissioning and evidence; it should not be treated as a paperwork shortcut.

Costs, savings and how funding works

The cost of a home upgrade is more than the headline product price. Surveys, design, scaffolding, electrical work, ventilation, planning, making good, warranties, finance and maintenance can all matter. Public support may reduce the amount you pay, but it does not remove every cost or risk.

Build a complete project budget

• Assessment, design and statutory fees.

• Main equipment and materials, including delivery and access.

• Enabling works such as roof repairs, electrics, pipework or asbestos checks.

• Scaffolding, lifting, drilling, excavation and making good.

• Controls, meters, monitoring and network work.

• Grant contribution, landlord contribution or lender fees.

• Servicing, replacement parts, insurance and future removal costs.

Ask for an itemised quote that states what is excluded. A low base price can become expensive when radiators, consumer-unit work, decorating or scaffolding appear later. Where several trades are involved, identify who coordinates defects at the junction between their work.

How to interpret savings claims

Energy savings and bill savings are different. A system may use less energy but a more expensive unit price, or it may shift electricity to cheaper times without reducing total use. Carbon savings depend on the fuel being replaced, system performance and the electricity mix.

A useful estimate states the current annual energy use, tariff date, weather assumptions, comfort temperature, proposed efficiency and any change in occupied floor area. It should show how much of a solar estimate is self-used and exported and whether finance payments are included.

The plan includes modelled examples of annual household savings. Those examples use defined assumptions and 2024 energy prices. They show what the policy model is designed to achieve, not what an installer can promise for an individual address in 2026.

How the £15 billion programme is described

The plan describes £2 billion within the Warm Homes Fund for consumer loans and £600 million for low-income support, alongside other financial-transaction funding. Those are programme figures. A household receives only the grant or lender product for which it is approved under the live rules.

Grants are not all delivered in the same way

A council grant may begin with a household application and local checks. ECO4 is delivered through obligated energy suppliers and their partners. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is installer-led. Social-housing funding is awarded to landlords. Each route has different evidence, procurement and complaint arrangements.

Do not pay an application fee to a cold caller without confirming the official scheme process. Some legitimate assessment or enabling costs may exist outside a grant, but they should be explained in writing and should not be disguised as a payment to “release” government money.

How the Warm Homes Loan Scheme differs

The Warm Homes Loan Scheme is a government-supported framework under which participating lenders can offer finance for eligible improvements. It is not a grant. The lender decides whether to lend and must explain its product terms, affordability assessment, security, rate, fees and consequences of missed payments.

There is no single scheme-wide consumer rate or automatic approval. Products are being rolled out at different times from September 2026. Compare a scheme-supported product with savings, ordinary credit, a mortgage further advance or a phased project, taking independent financial guidance where needed.

Grant, loan or self-funding?

The best route depends on the project and your financial circumstances. This guide does not make a personal borrowing recommendation. For regulated finance, check the lender and any intermediary on the Financial Services Register and read the pre-contract information carefully.

Questions to ask about any funding claim

1. What is the exact scheme or product name and official website?

2. Which nation, council area, tenure and property types does it cover?

3. Who decides eligibility, and at what stage?

4. Which costs are paid, capped, excluded or recoverable from the owner?

5. Which installer, product, EPC and assessment requirements apply?

6. Is the offer a grant, discount, loan, lease, service plan or combination?

7. What happens if the work, grant or finance application is not approved?

Applying, getting quotes and choosing accredited installers

A strong application or quotation process starts with the correct route. Public schemes, ordinary home-improvement contracts and lender-financed projects can look similar at the sales stage, but the organisations responsible for approval, standards and complaints are different.

The word “accredited” is often used loosely. Ask what the business is accredited, certified or registered for, which legal or scheme function that status covers, and how you can verify it on the current official register.

Step 1: identify the real route

• Council-led grant: start with the council or official GOV.UK application route.

• Supplier obligation: confirm the obligated supplier and delivery chain.

• Boiler Upgrade Scheme: use an MCS-certified installer following Ofgem rules.

• Social housing: use the landlord’s resident and repairs channels.

• Warm Homes Loan Scheme: check the participating lender and live product.

• Private project: compare contractors, contracts and consumer protections directly.

A lead generator may collect details and introduce a provider. That does not make the lead generator the scheme administrator or the professional who designs the work. Ask who will receive your data, who carries out the assessment and who enters the contract.

Step 2: make quotes comparable

Give each bidder the same property information and ask for the same level of breakdown. A total price is hard to compare when one contractor includes design, electrical work and making good and another lists only equipment.

• Exact products, models, quantities and performance assumptions.

• Survey, design and calculations included in the price.

• Enabling work, access, scaffolding, waste removal and making good.

• Planning, building-control, network or landlord responsibilities.

• Grant or finance contribution and the amount you must pay.

• Deposit, stage payments, cancellation rights and completion triggers.

• Commissioning, handover, warranty, maintenance and complaint route.

Do not force unlike proposals into a simple cheapest-to-most-expensive ranking. A heat pump designed for a different flow temperature, a solar array with a different export limit or insulation with a different ventilation scope may not be the same project.

Step 3: check the right status

MCS certification is relevant to small-scale renewable installations and to current Boiler Upgrade Scheme requirements. It covers certified contractors, products and standards within its scope. It does not guarantee that a design will suit every property or that every installation will be fault-free.

TrustMark is a government-endorsed quality scheme used in parts of publicly funded retrofit. It connects registered businesses, scheme providers and consumer-protection requirements. The business may also need separate electrical, gas, planning, building-control or competent-person credentials for particular work.

Gas work must be carried out by an appropriately registered Gas Safe engineer. Electrical work may need a registered competent person or building-control notification, depending on the work and nation. Planning permission and building regulations are legal or administrative requirements, not badges held by a salesperson.

Step 4: verify the business and people

1. Search the business on the official MCS, TrustMark, Gas Safe or other relevant register.

2. Match the legal name, trading name, address and registration scope to the quotation.

3. Check Companies House where relevant, but remember registration is not a quality approval.

4. Ask who will survey, design, install, commission and subcontract each part.

5. Confirm the consumer code, deposit protection, guarantee and dispute route in writing.

Take a screenshot or save the register result when you contract. Status can change, and the evidence may help if a complaint arises. Call the organisation using contact details from its official website, not a number supplied in an unsolicited message.

Step 5: pressure-test the design

• Why is this measure being recommended before the alternatives?

• Which survey findings and calculations support the design?

• What assumptions have been made about future work or household use?

• Which risks remain, and who is responsible for each one?

• How will performance be commissioned and demonstrated at handover?

• What happens to the price and contract if the survey changes the scope?

A competent provider should be able to explain the design in plain language or arrange for the responsible designer to do so. Complexity is not evidence of quality, but unexplained gaps in responsibility are a warning.

Step 6: read the contract before paying

Check the description of work, price, payment schedule, start and completion arrangements, cancellation rights, delay terms, subcontracting, access, damage, ownership of equipment, grants, finance and dispute process. Make sure verbal promises appear in the contract or an attached specification.

A deposit should have a clear purpose and protection. Avoid large bank transfers to a personal account or pressure to pay before the survey. If credit is involved, identify the lender and broker, check Financial Conduct Authority status where required and read the separate finance agreement.

Sales behaviour that should stop the process

• A grant is guaranteed or “reserved” after a brief phone call.

• The offer expires today but no official deadline can be shown.

• You are told not to contact the council, Ofgem, lender or scheme directly.

• Savings are presented without assumptions or as enough to cover repayments.

• The installer refuses to provide registration details, design documents or terms.

• You are asked to sign on a tablet without receiving a copy of the contract.

Free and official comparison routes

Use the official scheme page, local authority and current registers before paying for help. Citizens Advice can explain consumer rights and complaint routes. Energy Saving Trust offers independent practical information on technologies and consumer protection. These routes can be used whether or not you later speak with a commercial provider.

Installation, quality checks, warranties and ongoing maintenance

A good design can still fail through poor installation, weak coordination or incomplete commissioning. Quality checks should therefore run from pre-start through handover rather than being left to a final visual inspection.

Before work starts

• Confirm the final design, products, locations and responsibility for changes.

• Agree access, working hours, dust control, protection and resident needs.

• Record the condition of rooms, roofs, walls, services and belongings.

• Confirm planning, building-control, network, landlord and freeholder approvals.

• Check insurance, subcontractors, payment stages and emergency contacts.

• Agree what evidence will be photographed before work is covered.

If the survey reveals a material change, ask for a revised scope and price before the installer continues. A site discovery can be legitimate, but it should not become an open-ended instruction to pay for unspecified work.

During insulation work

Check continuity at corners, openings, floors and roof junctions. Gaps, compressed material and uninsulated service zones can create cold bridges. Ventilation paths, combustion-air requirements and fire stopping should remain as designed.

For work that will be hidden, dated photographs can show substrate condition, fixings, membranes, cavity barriers and junction details. They do not replace inspection, but they make later verification and defect investigation easier.

During heat-pump installation

The installer should follow the final hydraulic, electrical and controls design. Pipework needs appropriate sizing, insulation, flushing and protection. Outdoor-unit siting should allow airflow, drainage, service access and compliance with planning or noise conditions.

Commissioning should record flow rates, temperatures, system pressure, controls, hot-water settings and any weather-compensation curve. The household should be shown how normal operation differs from a boiler and which settings to avoid changing without advice.

During solar and battery installation

Roof fixings should match the covering and structural design, with weatherproofing and cable management that do not create leaks or abrasion. Electrical protection, labels, isolators and earthing should follow the design and applicable standards.

Battery location and clearances should match manufacturer instructions and the installer’s fire and electrical design. Ask how the system behaves during a grid outage; many standard systems switch off unless specific backup equipment is installed.

What handover should include

• Final design, calculations, product data and any approved changes.

• Commissioning records and test certificates.

• Planning, building-control, electrical and network documents where relevant.

• MCS certificate or TrustMark project evidence where the scheme requires it.

• Operating instructions, controls demonstration and maintenance schedule.

• Product, workmanship and insurance-backed guarantee documents.

• Emergency shutdown information and complaint contacts.

Do not assume documents will be sent later. Check that names, serial numbers, dates, address and installer details are correct while the project is still open. Missing evidence can affect export tariffs, future sale, warranties or a complaint.

Understand different protections

A product warranty covers defined equipment faults under its terms. A workmanship guarantee covers installation work for a stated period. An insurance-backed guarantee may provide protection if the installer ceases trading, subject to its policy conditions. A consumer code or alternative dispute resolution route deals with complaints under its rules.

These protections are not interchangeable. Read exclusions, registration deadlines, maintenance conditions, transfer rules and claim limits. A long headline warranty can be less useful if labour, access or consequential damage is excluded.

Plan ongoing maintenance

Lofts, gutters, ventilation grilles and seals should remain clear and dry. Extract fans and mechanical ventilation need cleaning, filter changes or servicing. Heat pumps need checks specified by the manufacturer and installer, while heating water may need pressure, inhibitor and water-quality attention.

Solar panels are generally low maintenance, but monitoring helps identify inverter or string faults. Batteries and inverters may need software, filter or inspection work and will eventually require replacement or disposal. Keep access routes and serial-number records.

Monitor the result without overreacting

Compare comfort, humidity and energy use over a meaningful period. Weather and occupancy vary, so one week is rarely enough to judge annual performance. For a heat pump, record flow temperature, room temperature and electricity use before repeatedly changing settings.

Act quickly on leaks, burning smells, repeated electrical trips, severe condensation or error codes. For ordinary performance questions, collect meter readings, app data, photographs and the design assumptions before raising the issue with the installer.

How to raise a defect

1. Describe the problem in writing and state the outcome you want.

2. Attach the contract, design, photographs, dates and monitoring evidence.

3. Give the business a reasonable opportunity to inspect and respond.

4. Escalate to the scheme provider, certification body or lender where its rules apply.

5. Use Citizens Advice or the relevant dispute route before court action where appropriate.

Renters, landlords, and flats

Tenure changes who can approve work, who receives funding and who is responsible for defects. Flats add shared roofs, walls, heating, meters, fire systems and leases. The technical answer may be possible while the legal or ownership route remains complex.

Private renters

Start by reporting cold, damp, mould or broken heating through the landlord’s written repair process. Describe the problem rather than demanding a particular technology. The landlord may need to investigate repairs, ventilation and building condition before deciding on an upgrade.

If a local grant route uses the tenant’s household circumstances, the council will still check the property and landlord participation. Do not sign a finance agreement for permanent building work unless you fully understand ownership, consent and who is responsible when the tenancy ends.

Social renters

Council and housing-association programmes are usually procured and managed at portfolio or estate level. Residents should be consulted about access, disruption, heating controls and support needs. Ask for a named contact and use the landlord’s complaint process if work or communication is poor.

After completion, keep the resident handover information. Report defects promptly and explain how they affect comfort, moisture or energy use. The landlord should not treat unfamiliar controls as a reason to dismiss a genuine design or commissioning problem.

Landlords

Check current legal duties first. In England and Wales, the present domestic private rented minimum is generally EPC E unless an exemption applies. Proposed higher standards for 2030 have been announced, including a future cost cap, but legislative implementation and detailed metrics must be checked when planning work.

Use planned maintenance to avoid duplicated cost. Roof renewal can be coordinated with solar; void periods may allow floor or internal wall work; heating replacement can be planned after heat-loss reduction. Tenant communication and moisture monitoring should be part of the project.

Leaseholders and mixed-tenure blocks

The lease decides which parts belong to the individual and which are controlled by the freeholder or management company. Roofs, external walls, communal pipes and electrical intake may be shared. Consent, consultation and service-charge rules can matter even where the individual flat is owner-occupied.

A block-wide approach may be more effective than separate installations. Shared ground loops, communal heat networks, whole-roof solar and coordinated wall insulation can reduce duplicated work, but they require governance, metering, billing, maintenance and long-term responsibility to be clear.

Flats and external heat-pump units

An external unit needs suitable siting, airflow, maintenance access, condensate drainage and noise assessment. In a flat, there may be no private outside space and the façade may be controlled by the freeholder. Planning rules and permitted-development rights depend on the nation, building and proposal.

Air-to-air systems can sometimes avoid wet central-heating changes, but multiple indoor units, refrigerant routes, hot water and consent still need design. Do not assume a small unit is automatically exempt from planning or lease restrictions.

Listed buildings and conservation areas

Historic buildings can often be improved, but methods that work in modern cavity construction may be unsuitable. Listed-building consent may be needed for work affecting character, and conservation-area controls can affect external wall insulation, windows, solar panels and heat-pump siting.

Use professionals familiar with the construction and local authority requirements. Repair, secondary glazing, roof insulation, draught control and carefully designed services may offer progress without unnecessarily damaging historic fabric.

Off-gas homes

Homes using oil, liquefied petroleum gas, solid fuel or direct electric heating can have different cost and carbon comparisons. Fuel storage, rural access, electrical capacity and winter resilience may affect the choice. A heat pump may be suitable, but the answer still depends on heat loss and system design.

The temporary £9,000 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for certain eligible oil or LPG replacements is time-limited under current rules. It should not be used to pressure a household into a rushed contract. Verify the fuel, property and timing conditions with the installer and Ofgem.

Park homes and non-standard construction

Park homes, system-built properties and unusual wall constructions may not fit standard survey assumptions. Fire separation, moisture, structure, ownership of the pitch and access to services can affect both funding and technical design.

Ask whether the assessor and installer have experience with the specific construction. A generic EPC recommendation or product certificate does not prove suitability for that building type.

Avoiding scams

Home-energy scams often borrow the language of real schemes. The name of a government programme, an EPC rating or a genuine installer logo can make an approach look official. Verification should focus on the legal business, the live scheme route and the contract—not the appearance of the advert.

Common pressure tactics

• “Your postcode has been selected” without naming the council or scheme.

• “Funding is guaranteed” before a survey or official decision.

• “The grant closes tonight” without a current published deadline.

• “We work for the government” when the caller is a lead generator or contractor.

• A large deposit is required to release a voucher or arrange a free survey.

• Savings are said to cover loan payments in every household.

• You are discouraged from checking the offer independently.

Verify an offer in a few practical steps

1. End the unsolicited call and find the official scheme page yourself.

2. Contact the council, Ofgem, lender or landlord through its published details.

3. Search the installer on the relevant official register and match the legal identity.

4. Ask for the complete written offer, contract, funding route and privacy notice.

5. Do not pay until the survey, scope, cancellation rights and protections are clear.

A genuine business should allow time for these checks. Register membership can be copied or misrepresented, so follow the register’s own contact link rather than clicking an advert supplied by the salesperson.

Protect your personal data

An eligibility enquiry can involve income, benefits, tenure, address and energy information. Before sharing it, read who controls the data, which providers will receive it, why it is needed and how consent can be withdrawn. A vague statement that details may go to “trusted partners” is not the same as a clear introduction process.

Clearwise publishes information and may introduce consumers to independent providers with consent. An introduction does not make Clearwise the assessor, installer, lender, scheme administrator or decision-maker. The independent provider decides whether and how to respond.

If you have already paid

Contact your bank or card provider promptly if you believe a payment was obtained fraudulently. Preserve messages, adverts, account details, invoices and call records. Report fraud through the official national route and tell the relevant scheme or register if its name or badge was misused.

For a genuine contract dispute, write to the business first and use the cancellation, complaint or guarantee terms. Citizens Advice can help identify consumer-law and escalation options. Do not pay a second company that promises to recover money or fix work without checking its own contract and status.

Use a structured complaint route

How TrustMark complaints work

TrustMark’s published process expects the consumer to raise the matter with the registered business first. If it remains unresolved, the scheme provider may become involved. The Dispute Resolution Ombudsman route is available only where the stated criteria and time limits are met.

TrustMark does not directly investigate every home-improvement dispute and registration is not a guarantee of a particular outcome. Use its current complaints page to identify the correct stage and keep a complete chronology.

Poor-quality insulation

If wall insulation appears defective, do not agree immediately to pay another door-to-door company to remove or replace it. Follow current GOV.UK guidance, identify the original scheme and installer, gather guarantees and seek an appropriate inspection. Removal can damage the building if the cause has not been established.

A calm final check

Most legitimate projects involve several stages: enquiry, evidence, survey, design, quote, approval, contract and installation. A seller who collapses them into one urgent phone call is removing the checks that protect you. Slow the process down and verify each organisation independently.

Conclusion

The Warm Homes Plan is best understood as a framework of live schemes, planned reforms and long-term investment. It can make insulation, lower-carbon heating, solar and finance more accessible, but it does not turn every home into the same project or every household into an eligible applicant.

The strongest decisions begin with building condition, household needs and a clear sequence. Funding matters, but so do moisture, ventilation, heat loss, electrical capacity, planning, ownership, contracts and the people responsible for design and installation.

The three steps that usually matter most

1. Verify the live route: use the official scheme, council, landlord, lender or regulator page.

2. Assess the property: understand condition, heat loss, ventilation, services and constraints.

3. Protect the contract: compare written scopes, registrations, assumptions and complaint routes.

Why the timetable still matters

The timetable helps you distinguish what has closed, what is available and what is still planned. GBIS has closed, ECO4 runs to the end of 2026, the Warm Homes Loan Scheme is entering phased consumer delivery, and the 2027 advice and EPC changes are intended future developments rather than completed universal services.

Recheck the position before making a major decision. A guide can explain the framework, but the scheme administrator, lender, authority or professional must apply the current rules to the actual application and property.

What happens next

Gather your EPC, recent energy use, repair history, photographs and any landlord or lease documents. Write down the main problem you want to solve and the constraints you already know. Then use the appropriate official route or arrange a property-specific assessment.

Scheme rules, prices, guidance and provider availability can change, and this guide does not determine your personal position. Use the FAQs, glossary, useful organisations and references below before deciding what to do.

You are not obliged to use a Clearwise introduction. You can contact councils, Ofgem, registered installers, lenders, landlords and free guidance services directly. With your consent, Clearwise may introduce you to an independent provider. That provider remains independent and decides whether it can assist. An introduction does not guarantee acceptance, suitability, funding, availability or any outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Warm Homes Plan basics

Timing and rollout

Eligibility and access

Assessments and EPCs

Insulation and ventilation

Heat pumps and clean heat

Solar, batteries and smart energy

Costs, grants and finance

Renters, landlords and complex homes

Quality, warranties and complaints

Useful organisations

Warm Homes: Local Grant assisted digital support helpline

Official support for people in England who need help using the Warm Homes: Local Grant application service. The local authority remains responsible for checking the household, property, council funding and any survey or offer.

• 0800 098 7950
• www.gov.uk

Citizens Advice consumer service

Free consumer guidance for England and Wales, including energy-saving home improvements, contracts and complaint routes. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different national consumer services, which are signposted through official local guidance.

• 0808 223 1133
• www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Ofgem

The independent gas and electricity regulator for Great Britain. Ofgem administers the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, regulates heat-network consumer protection and publishes information on the Smart Export Guarantee. It does not replace the installer’s or supplier’s first-stage complaint process.

• www.ofgem.gov.uk

TrustMark

The government-endorsed quality scheme for work in and around the home. Use its register to check a business and its current complaints page to understand the staged process through the business, scheme provider and, where criteria are met, dispute resolution.

• 0333 555 1234
• www.trustmark.org.uk

Boiler Upgrade Scheme support team

Ofgem’s scheme contact for property owners and installers with questions about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales. The MCS-certified installer normally leads the voucher application; the team does not design the heating system for an individual property.

• 0330 053 2006
• www.ofgem.gov.uk

References

Still have questions?

If you’ve read this guide and you’re still unsure what applies to your home—especially around eligibility, what order to do upgrades in, or how to compare quotes—speaking to an expert can save you time, money and stress.

A good expert conversation can help you:

• interpret your EPC and identify the biggest “comfort wins”

• sense-check whether a heat pump/solar/battery proposal is realistic

• understand likely costs, savings and disruption for your housing type

• spot red flags in quotes, finance offers, or installer claims

• plan a phased upgrade pathway that fits your budget

If you choose to speak with an expert, you’ll usually get the most value if you have:

• your EPC (or property address details to locate it)

• photos of your boiler/heating setup and your loft (if accessible)

• recent energy bills (or tariff info)

• notes on comfort problems (cold rooms, mould spots, draughts)

Your first consultation should be free—use it to ask the “awkward questions” and make sure you feel confident before you commit to any work.