How to Get a Warm Homes Grant for a Kitchen Refurbishment in 2026 UK
Important: Warm Homes grants do not pay for new kitchen cabinets, worktops or cosmetic refits — the scheme funds energy-efficiency works only. But during a kitchen refurb, you can claim toward the elements that are eligible: solid-wall, floor and loft insulation, a low-carbon heating upgrade (£7,500 BUS heat pump grant), MVHR ventilation, energy-efficient first-time central heating, and solar PV. Typical claim: £5,000–£24,000. Here's the step-by-step.
Warm Homes + kitchen refurb at a glance — 2026 UK
- Funded by Warm Homes / ECO4: external/internal/cavity wall insulation, suspended floor insulation, loft insulation, first-time central heating, MVHR, smart thermostat
- Funded by Boiler Upgrade Scheme: air-source heat pump £7,500, ground-source heat pump £7,500 (England & Wales)
- Funded by ECO4 Flex: solar PV in low-income households (post-code-led)
- NOT funded: kitchen units, worktops, splashbacks, hobs, ovens, sinks, decoration, flooring (non-insulating)
- Combined claim range during a kitchen refurb: £5,000–£24,000
- Eligibility: income-tested under £36k (most schemes), EPC D–G, or in a low-income LSOA postcode under ECO4 Flex / LA Flex
Apply via your installer: a TrustMark / PAS 2035-registered installer submits the grant claim. Don't pay up front and then claim — the grant must be pre-approved.
How to apply (8 steps, 4–8 weeks)
- Confirm scheme eligibility. Use the Great British Insulation Scheme checker and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme page. Note your EPC and household income.
- Pull your current EPC. Find it at gov.uk/find-energy-certificate. Most Warm Homes / ECO4 streams require EPC D, E, F or G.
- List the energy-saving works in your kitchen refurb. External wall insulation while removing kitchen wall units? Solid floor insulation while lifting the kitchen floor? New boiler / ASHP location in the kitchen? Solar PV at the same time? Each item maps to a different funding stream.
- Engage a TrustMark / PAS 2035 registered installer. Only TrustMark-registered installers can claim under Warm Homes / ECO4; only MCS-certified installers can claim under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Most full-service energy-efficiency contractors hold both.
- Get a Retrofit Assessment (PAS 2035). Required for ECO4 funded works — produces a Whole House Assessment, Improvement Option Evaluation and Medium-Term Improvement Plan. Cost £300–£650, sometimes funded by the scheme.
- Submit the grant application via your installer. They lodge the claim with the scheme administrator. Wait 2–6 weeks for approval. Do not start funded works before approval.
- Schedule funded works around the kitchen install. Order: structural works → insulation → first-fix electrical/heating → MVHR → plaster → kitchen fit → commissioning + sign-off + EPC re-lodge.
- Receive the grant. ECO4 / Warm Homes funds are paid directly to the installer (you pay any shortfall). BUS is also paid to the installer who deducts the grant from your invoice.
Who qualifies in 2026 UK
How to sequence funded works around a kitchen refit
The order matters. Most grant streams require the funded works to be installed and signed off before a fresh EPC is lodged. If you fit the new kitchen first, you'll either have to rip out cabinets to access wall cavities or pay for less efficient internal wall insulation. Recommended sequence:
- Demolish existing kitchen back to the brickwork & original floor
- External / cavity wall insulation while walls are accessible
- Suspended floor insulation while flooring is up
- First-fix electrical & heating: ASHP location, hot-water cylinder, MVHR ducts, smart thermostat wiring
- Plasterboard + skim with new airtight detailing
- Kitchen install (cabinets, worktops, appliances)
- ASHP / boiler commissioning, MCS / TrustMark certificate, lodge new EPC
Frequently asked questions
No — Warm Homes / ECO4 / GBIS funds only energy-efficiency works (insulation, ventilation, low-carbon heating). Cabinets, worktops, appliances, decoration and non-insulating flooring are excluded. But the funded works (insulation, heat pump, MVHR) often happen during a kitchen refurb because access is open.
External wall, cavity wall and solid-wall insulation; suspended floor insulation; loft insulation top-up; first-time central heating; boiler upgrade where eligible; air-source or ground-source heat pump (£7,500 BUS); MVHR ventilation; smart heating controls; solar PV in low-income households under ECO4 Flex.
Yes for ECO4 and Warm Homes: Local Grant. A PAS 2035 Retrofit Assessment produces a Whole House Assessment, Improvement Option Evaluation and Medium-Term Improvement Plan. Cost £300–£650, sometimes funded by the scheme itself.
Combined claim values typically run £5,000–£24,000: ECO4 wall insulation £4,000–£12,000, ASHP under BUS £7,500 fixed, MVHR £1,200–£2,400, smart thermostat £180. Higher claims with solid-wall + heat pump + solar PV combinations can reach £25k+ on hard-to-treat properties.
The installer applies on your behalf for ECO4, Warm Homes: Local Grant and BUS. You provide eligibility evidence (EPC, income, benefits letter or LA Flex referral). For BUS the grant is paid directly to the installer who deducts it from your invoice.
Yes — the schemes are stackable on different measures. Warm Homes covers your insulation, BUS covers your heat pump. Some local authorities additionally top up BUS with up to £1,500 — ask yours.
Sources used
- gov.uk — Warm Homes Plan
- gov.uk — Great British Insulation Scheme
- gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- Ofgem — Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)
- TrustMark — Find an installer
Methodology: Grant values cross-referenced against published scheme rules and BestBuilders' UK TrustMark / MCS-certified retrofit installer network (May 2026, 320+ vetted installers). Eligibility rules subject to change — always verify with your installer at the time of application. Last fact-checked: .