Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
How the Great British Insulation Scheme works in 2026 — who qualifies, what it funds, and how to pair it with ECO4 for solar. Free eligibility check.
Check your eligibility freeWhat the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) actually is
The Great British Insulation Scheme is a government-backed energy efficiency scheme delivered by larger licensed energy suppliers under obligations set by Ofgem. It was designed to get insulation into a wide range of UK homes quickly, and it sits alongside the older Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) rather than replacing it.
The headline difference that makes GBIS unusual is its eligibility route. Most fuel-poverty schemes require you to be on a means-tested benefit. GBIS opened a second door: a general eligibility group based largely on your council tax band and your home's energy rating, with no benefits test attached. That is why so many ordinary owner-occupiers and renters who would never qualify for ECO4 were able to get help.
GBIS is insulation-led. In practice it has mostly delivered single, lower-cost measures such as cavity wall and loft insulation, because these give the biggest energy saving per pound and let suppliers reach the most homes. It does not fund standalone solar panels — that is an ECO4 question, covered further down. As an independent service we are not tied to any installer, so our only interest is pointing you at the scheme that genuinely fits your home.
Who qualifies for GBIS: the two routes
GBIS works through two eligibility groups, and you only need to fall into one of them.
1. The general group (the council-tax-band route). This is the route that makes GBIS different. Broadly, your home needs an EPC rating of D to G and to sit in a lower council tax band — typically bands A–D in England and bands A–E in Scotland and Wales. There is no requirement to be on benefits. Both homeowners and (with permission) private tenants could apply.
2. The low-income group (flexible eligibility). This mirrors the help-to-heat side of ECO4 and is aimed at households that are low-income, fuel-poor, or vulnerable to living in a cold home — for example because of a long-term health condition. Eligibility here is often confirmed by your local authority through a referral, which can open the door even if your council tax band would not have qualified you under the general route.
A few practical points worth knowing: the EPC and council tax band are about the property, not just the person, so it is worth checking your current EPC before assuming you are out. We never guarantee approval — final suitability is confirmed by a surveyor — but a quick independent eligibility check is free and tells you which route, if any, applies to you.
GBIS vs ECO4: how they differ and how they stack
GBIS and ECO4 are easy to confuse because they overlap and can run together. The simplest way to think about it: ECO4 is the deep, whole-home scheme for lower-income households; GBIS is the lighter, broader scheme focused on single insulation measures and opened up by council tax band.
They are not either/or. A household can be eligible for both, and the two schemes can be combined — for instance, GBIS funding loft or cavity wall insulation while ECO4 delivers a more substantial package such as heating upgrades or solar on a benefits-eligible home. Suppliers often coordinate the two so the home is treated as a whole.
Crucially for anyone here looking at panels: solar PV is an ECO4 measure, not a GBIS one. If your goal is solar, GBIS alone will not deliver it — you would be looking at ECO4 eligibility (means-tested benefits, or the widened LA Flex / ECO Flex routes via your council). The table below lays the two schemes out side by side.
How to apply for GBIS (and what to do as it winds down)
Applications for GBIS go through participating energy suppliers, and you do not have to be a customer of that supplier to qualify. The normal path is: check your eligibility, get matched to an obligated supplier or their approved installer, have a free home survey to confirm the measures, and then have the insulation fitted at no cost (or part-funded, depending on the measure and your route).
One honest caveat: GBIS is a time-limited scheme that was scheduled to end around spring 2026, and the funding has been winding down. Availability through suppliers can therefore be tighter than the headline rules suggest, and we would not want you to assume a place is guaranteed. If GBIS is no longer taking new work in your area, the live alternatives worth checking are ECO4 (running later in 2026, and the route for solar), the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2) for off-gas low-EPC English homes, and the devolved schemes — Warm Homes: Nest in Wales, Home Energy Scotland and Warmer Homes Scotland in Scotland, and the Affordable Warmth Scheme in Northern Ireland.
Because the landscape shifts, the most useful first step is an independent eligibility check across all of these at once, rather than applying to a single installer who can only offer their own scheme. That is exactly what we do — supplier-neutral, with no obligation.
Where solar fits if you came here for panels
Plenty of people search for GBIS hoping it pays for solar panels. It is worth being clear: GBIS funds insulation, not standalone solar PV. If you want fully or part-funded panels through a government scheme, the route is ECO4, where solar can be included as part of a wider package for eligible (usually benefits-receiving) households, and where LA Flex / ECO Flex can widen who counts via an income or health-condition route assessed by your council.
Insulation first is not a consolation prize, though — it is good engineering. A well-insulated home loses less of the heat you pay for, which means a smaller, cheaper heating demand and a better return on any solar or battery you add later. Getting GBIS insulation done, then layering ECO4 or a self-funded solar install on top, is a sensible order of operations.
If you do go on to install solar yourself, you can still earn from it through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), where licensed suppliers in England, Scotland and Wales pay for the electricity you export. A typical 3–4kW domestic system costs around £5,000–£9,000 before any grant support. We can check, independently, which combination of insulation and solar funding your specific home qualifies for.
| Feature | GBIS (Great British Insulation Scheme) | ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation) |
| Main purpose | Single insulation measures, delivered widely and quickly | Deeper, whole-home efficiency upgrades |
| Typical eligibility route | General group: council tax band + EPC, no benefits test. Plus a low-income / flexible route | Means-tested benefits, or widened via LA Flex / ECO Flex (income or health route) |
| Council tax band (general route) | Typically A–D (England), A–E (Scotland & Wales) | Not band-based — based on benefits / referral |
| EPC requirement | Typically D–G | Typically D–G (worst-rated prioritised) |
| Insulation funded? | Yes — the core of the scheme | Yes, as part of a wider package |
| Heating upgrades / solar PV? | No — insulation only | Yes — can include heating and solar PV |
| Funding level | Fully or part-funded, by measure and route | Typically fully funds suitable measures |
| Status (2026) | Time-limited, scheduled to end around spring 2026 — winding down | Running later into 2026 |
| Can they be combined? | Yes — a home can use both; suppliers often coordinate insulation under GBIS with a wider ECO4 package | |
Great British Insulation Scheme — FAQs
Do I have to be on benefits to qualify for GBIS?
No, and that is the key difference from ECO4. GBIS opened a general eligibility route based mainly on your council tax band (typically A to D in England, A to E in Scotland and Wales) and an EPC rating of D to G, with no benefits test. There is also a separate low-income and vulnerable route, often confirmed by your local authority, for households that would not qualify on band alone.
Does the Great British Insulation Scheme pay for solar panels?
No. GBIS funds insulation only, such as cavity wall and loft insulation, not standalone solar panels. If you want grant-funded solar PV, the relevant scheme is ECO4, where solar can form part of a wider package for eligible households, with LA Flex or ECO Flex widening who counts. We can check independently which scheme your home actually qualifies for, at no cost.
What is the difference between GBIS and ECO4?
ECO4 is the deeper, whole-home scheme for lower-income, benefits-eligible households and can include heating and solar. GBIS is lighter and broader, focused on single insulation measures, and is opened up by council tax band rather than benefits. They are not either or: a home can qualify for both, and suppliers often coordinate GBIS insulation alongside a wider ECO4 package.
Is GBIS still open in 2026?
GBIS was a time-limited scheme scheduled to end around spring 2026, and funding has been winding down, so availability through suppliers can be tighter than the headline rules suggest. We never assume a place is guaranteed. If GBIS is no longer taking work in your area, ECO4, the Home Upgrade Grant in England, and the devolved schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the live alternatives to check.
How do I apply for GBIS and does it cost anything?
You apply through participating energy suppliers, and you do not need to be their customer. The process is an eligibility check, a free home survey to confirm suitable measures, then installation. Eligible insulation is fully or part-funded depending on the measure and route. We recommend a supplier-neutral eligibility check first so you are matched to the right scheme rather than whatever one installer happens to offer.
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