How-To · Updated April 2026

How to Get a Warm Homes Grant for a New Roof in 2026

The UK Government's Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) schemes launched April 2025 as ECO4's successor, and in 2026 they can cover up to 100% of roof insulation costs plus partial funding for associated roof repairs for eligible UK households. This guide walks you through the 2026 eligibility rules, the five-step application process, what's actually covered (and what's not — full re-roofs are typically excluded), and the three common pitfalls that get applications rejected. Most eligible households complete the process in 10–16 weeks from first enquiry to installation.

6 eligibility checks 5-step application 2026 funding caps
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Quick Answer

Can I get a Warm Homes grant for a new roof?

Yes — partially. The Warm Homes grant schemes cover roof insulation measures in full (loft insulation, room-in-roof insulation, flat-roof insulation) and will pay for associated enabling roofing works (replacing a few failed tiles, repointing, flashing repairs) when they're technically necessary to install the insulation. The schemes do not cover full roof replacements as a standalone measure.

You're eligible if:

  • Your home has an EPC rating of D, E, F or G (check at epcregister.com — free)
  • Your household income is below £36,000 OR you receive a qualifying means-tested benefit
  • You own the property OR have private landlord permission
  • You live in a participating local authority (most England LAs; separate schemes in Scotland, Wales and NI)

Typical funding cap: £5,000–£15,000 per property for insulation measures; ~£2,000 additional for associated enabling works. Exact caps vary by local authority and measure mix.

Eligibility

The 6 Eligibility Checks — 2026

Before spending a penny on quotes or drawings, run through these six checks. Most rejections come from failing one of them at the Retrofit Coordinator assessment stage.

Check 1: Valid EPC with D/E/F/G rating

You need a current EPC (less than 10 years old) showing an energy efficiency rating of D, E, F or G. Homes rated A, B or C are not eligible — the scheme targets the least efficient housing stock. Check yours free at epcregister.com. If you don't have an EPC (or yours has expired), commission a new one before applying — cost £40–£80 from a domestic energy assessor.

Check 2: Income or qualifying benefit

Either household income under £36,000 per year (gross), OR receipt of one of these means-tested benefits: Universal Credit, Income Support, Income-based JSA, Income-related ESA, Pension Credit (Guarantee or Savings), Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, or Child Benefit (subject to local income thresholds). Some LAs use a higher £37,000–£39,000 threshold, and some offer discretionary routes for high-energy-bill or disabled households — always check your local scheme.

Check 3: Property ownership or landlord consent

If you own and live in the property: no extra step. If you rent privately: your landlord must consent in writing and (for the WH:LG stream targeted at owner-occupiers) be willing to co-fund a percentage — typically a 50/50 split between grant and landlord. Social tenants are typically routed via the Social Housing Fund through their housing association. Leaseholders may need freeholder consent for external works.

Check 4: Participating local authority

The WH:LG scheme is delivered through consortia of English local authorities. Most LAs are participating in 2026 through one of the regional consortia (e.g., GM Combined Authority, West Yorkshire Combined Authority). Scotland uses the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme; Wales uses Nest; Northern Ireland uses the Affordable Warmth Scheme. Check GOV.UK or your local council's website for the correct scheme in your area.

Check 5: The roof measure must be technically appropriate

A Retrofit Coordinator (PAS 2035 certified) will assess your home and produce a Medium-Term Improvement Plan. They'll only recommend a measure — including roof insulation — if it's technically viable, won't cause condensation or damp problems, and delivers the energy savings the scheme requires. If your loft has active damp, rotten timbers, structural movement or inadequate ventilation, they'll either require remedial works first (sometimes grant-funded) or reject the measure.

Check 6: The building isn't excluded

Some property types are ineligible or harder to fund: listed buildings, properties in conservation areas where like-for-like slate/tile replacement isn't permitted, new builds with EPC A/B/C, mobile homes, and non-traditional construction (BISF, Cornish, PRC) sometimes require additional enabling surveys. Always declare the full property type upfront — discovery of a listing mid-application wastes 6–8 weeks.

Step-by-Step

The 5-Step Application Process — 2026

From first enquiry to installation, here's what the 2026 Warm Homes grant process looks like. Most households complete it in 10–16 weeks.

Step 1 — Find your local delivery partner (1–2 weeks)

Use the GOV.UK Help with Energy Bills search tool or the SimpleEnergyAdvice.org.uk portal. Enter your postcode and it'll route you to the correct scheme and delivery partner. Most LAs contract with a regional manager (e.g., E.ON, British Gas, Agility Eco, Warmworks). Avoid cold callers — the scheme does not do doorstep marketing.

Step 2 — Initial eligibility screening (1 week)

Submit your EPC, income evidence (P60, benefit letter or 3 months of bank statements), ID and property deeds/tenancy. The delivery partner screens you for eligibility and gives a conditional "yes" within 5–10 working days. If your EPC is missing, they'll commission one.

Step 3 — Retrofit assessment (PAS 2035) (2–4 weeks)

A PAS 2035-qualified Retrofit Assessor visits, surveys the property, identifies moisture and ventilation risks, and models the heat-loss calculations. A Retrofit Coordinator then produces a costed Medium-Term Improvement Plan. This is where roof insulation gets recommended (or not) and where any enabling roof repairs — flashings, a handful of slipped tiles, minor pointing — get added to the scope.

Step 4 — Grant approval & installer allocation (2–3 weeks)

The costed plan goes to the funding panel for approval. Approval notification includes the grant amount, co-funding obligation (if any), and the allocated TrustMark-registered installer. You'll sign a Retrofit Consumer Protection Agreement. At this point you can request a second installer opinion if you want — you're not forced to accept the first allocation.

Step 5 — Installation & post-works sign-off (1–3 weeks)

Installation typically takes 1–5 days for loft-only measures, or 1–3 weeks for room-in-roof or flat-roof insulation with enabling works. The Retrofit Coordinator signs off completion and lodges the measure on the TrustMark database (gives you a 25-year insurance-backed guarantee). You'll receive an updated EPC within 4–6 weeks showing the new rating.

What's Covered

What Warm Homes Will & Won't Pay For

The scheme is primarily an insulation and heating scheme — it's not a roof-replacement scheme. Here's the honest breakdown of what roof-related works actually get funded in 2026.

✅ Typically Fully Covered

  • Loft insulation (270mm mineral wool or equivalent)
  • Room-in-roof insulation (rafter-line, 120–150mm PIR)
  • Flat-roof insulation (warm-roof or cold-roof retrofit)
  • Loft hatch insulation & draught seal
  • Water tank & pipework insulation in the loft
  • Loft ventilation upgrades (where required for PAS compliance)

❌ Usually NOT Covered

  • Full roof replacement (strip & re-tile)
  • Structural repairs to rafters, purlins or trusses (unless enabling insulation is otherwise impossible)
  • Chimney rebuilding or removal
  • Fascias, soffits and guttering (unless failed and preventing insulation)
  • Solar panel installation (different scheme — check SEG/smart export)
  • Aesthetic upgrades or material changes for appearance

⚠️ Sometimes Covered (case-by-case)

  • Enabling roof repairs — replacing a handful of slipped or broken tiles, minor flashing renewal, localised pointing — if the Retrofit Coordinator deems them necessary for the insulation to function
  • Breathable membrane retrofit when insulating at rafter level in older properties
  • Specialist roof-light re-bedding if they're disturbed during work
  • Associated damp / condensation remedial works — only if the issue is caused by the planned insulation measure, not pre-existing
Frequently Asked

Common Questions

No — a full roof replacement is not a fundable measure under Warm Homes. The scheme targets insulation and heating measures; it only pays for roofing work that directly enables those measures. If your roof is so damaged that installing loft insulation would be wasted (water ingress, major slippage, rotten timbers), the Retrofit Coordinator will typically reject the insulation measure until the roof is repaired at your own cost. If you're in hardship, check additional local support via Citizens Advice or Turn2us — some local discretionary hardship funds or Home Improvement Agencies offer grants for structural repairs.
Typical end-to-end timeline is 10–16 weeks in 2026, broken down as: eligibility screening (1–2 weeks), retrofit assessment (2–4 weeks), grant panel approval (2–3 weeks), installer scheduling (2–4 weeks), installation (1–3 weeks). Busier regions (Greater Manchester, West Midlands, Greater London) run at 16–20 weeks. Winter months are busier because of heating-related urgency — apply in spring or summer for the fastest turnaround.
For most owner-occupiers meeting the low-income criteria, the Warm Homes Local Grant covers 100% of the approved measure cost up to the scheme cap (typically £5,000–£15,000). If your approved works exceed the cap, you'll pay the difference yourself. Private landlords typically co-fund 50% of the measure cost. Some local schemes offer a means-tested sliding scale where households above the core threshold contribute 25–50%. Always get the exact funding offer in writing before signing.
No — the installer must be TrustMark-registered, PAS 2030 compliant, and appointed through the local delivery partner. You can ask for a second installer opinion if you're unhappy with the first allocation, and you can raise complaints through the scheme's Retrofit Consumer Protection Agreement. If you want to use a specific builder you already trust, the route is to ask your roofer to apply for TrustMark registration (realistically 6–12 months) — too slow for most projects.
Yes — each scheme has an internal appeals process (typically 4–6 weeks). You can also escalate to the TrustMark Dispute Resolution service or the Ofgem complaints route if the refusal relates to the government-set eligibility criteria. Common successful appeal reasons: incorrect income assessment, missed benefit entitlement, EPC miscalculation. Most refusals are administrative (missing documents) rather than substantive — fix the paperwork and re-apply. You can also apply to a different scheme (e.g., ECO Flex via your local authority) if the Warm Homes route doesn't work.
Solar PV is occasionally included in the WH:SHF (social housing) route as part of a whole-house retrofit package. For owner-occupiers, solar is rarely directly funded but is often recommended by the Retrofit Coordinator as a follow-on measure. Separate schemes — the Smart Export Guarantee (payment for excess electricity exported) and the Home Upgrade Grant phase-out payments — are more directly useful for solar. See our comparison guide on solar panels for more.
The Warm Homes: Local Grant is England-specific. Equivalent schemes elsewhere: Scotland uses Warmer Homes Scotland (operated by Warmworks) with similar eligibility rules; Wales uses the Nest scheme (operated by British Gas / Warmworks partnership); Northern Ireland runs the Affordable Warmth Scheme through the Housing Executive. All cover roof insulation and enabling repairs under similar terms, but application processes and funding caps differ. Check your nation's scheme directly.
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