Warm Homes Plan explained: what you can get, and when

In 30 seconds

• The Warm Homes Plan, published in January 2026, commits £15 billion of public money to upgrading up to 5 million homes by 2030.
• Low-income households can get upgrades such as insulation, solar panels and batteries fully funded, mainly through council-run schemes.
• Other homeowners are promised low- and zero-interest loans for solar, batteries and heat pumps, provided through approved lenders. The first window for lenders to apply closed in July 2026.
• The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for heat pumps continues.

The Warm Homes Plan is the government’s programme for cutting energy bills by upgrading Britain’s homes. The headline numbers are big, but what matters for you is simpler: what can you get, when, and how. This guide separates what is available now from what is still being set up, based on the official announcements.

On this page

1. What the government announced
2. What you can get, and when
3. If you are on a low income: Warm Homes: Local Grant
4. If you own your home: the Warm Homes loans
5. If you rent
6. What to do now
7. Frequently asked questions
8. Sources

What the government announced

The plan was announced on 20 January 2026 (GOV.UK press release). Its main commitments:

• £15 billion of public funding, which the government expects to unlock £38 billion of investment in total over this Parliament;
• upgrades for up to 5 million homes;
• lifting up to 1 million families out of fuel poverty by 2030;
• tripling the number of homes with rooftop solar by 2030;
• a new Warm Homes Agency to give households one place for advice and support.

The MCS Foundation’s summary of the plan breaks the money down as £5 billion for low-income schemes, £2.7 billion for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and £2 billion for low-interest loans (MCS Foundation).

What you can get, and when

If you are on a low income: Warm Homes: Local Grant

For low-income households, the plan’s main route is fully funded upgrades. The government says these can include solar panels and batteries, which it estimates would otherwise cost £9,000 to £12,000, as well as insulation.

In England this is delivered through Warm Homes: Local Grant, run by councils. Rules vary by area. As an example, Reading Borough Council’s scheme (Reading Borough Council):

• funds insulation, ventilation, low-carbon heating such as heat pumps, heating controls, solar panels and more;
• offers up to £15,000 per home for energy-saving measures, plus up to £15,000 more for low-carbon heating where suitable;
• is open to households with a gross income below £36,000, on means-tested benefits, or in certain postcodes;
• requires an EPC rating of D or below (homes without an EPC can still apply);
• runs from 2025 to 2028.

To find out what applies where you live, search your council’s website for “Warm Homes Local Grant”. Private tenants can apply too, with the landlord’s agreement.

If you own your home: the Warm Homes loans

For homeowners who don’t qualify for free upgrades, the plan promises government-backed low- and zero-interest loans for solar panels, batteries and heat pumps. The government said details of how to access them would follow later in 2026.

GOV.UK’s page for lenders explains how it will work (GOV.UK, updated 17 September 2026):

• the loans will come from FCA-authorised private lenders, not directly from the government;
• the first phase puts £300 million of government grant into the scheme to support lending for owner-occupied and privately rented homes;
• lenders set the terms of their own products, so rates and loan sizes will vary;
• the first window for lenders to apply closed on 29 July 2026, with another expected later in 2026.

If you rent

The plan includes updated protections for private renters, with landlords required to upgrade homes over several years. Landlords themselves can use the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and are among those the Warm Homes loans are designed for.

What to do now

1. On a low income? Check your council’s Warm Homes: Local Grant.
2. Thinking about a heat pump? The £7,500 grant is available now, and £9,000 for oil and LPG homes until 31 March 2027. See the oil and LPG grant.
3. Want solar or a battery with a loan? Wait for approved lenders’ products, or compare normal finance and savings in the meantime. Remember 0% VAT ends on 31 March 2027.
4. Not sure where to start? Cheap measures like draught-proofing pay back fastest. Ways to cut bills this winter.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Warm Homes Plan?

A government programme announced in January 2026 that commits £15 billion to upgrading up to 5 million homes by 2030, through grants for low-income households, loans for homeowners and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Can I get free solar panels under the Warm Homes Plan?

Low-income households may get solar panels and batteries fully funded, mainly through council-run Warm Homes: Local Grant schemes. Other homeowners are promised low-interest loans instead.

When will the Warm Homes loans be available?

The first window for lenders to join closed on 29 July 2026, with another expected later in 2026. Loan products will come from approved lenders; check for announcements before applying.

Does the Warm Homes Plan replace the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

No. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme continues as part of the plan, paying £7,500 off a heat pump in England and Wales.

Is the Warm Homes: Local Grant available everywhere?

It is delivered by councils, so availability and rules vary. Search your council’s website or contact them to check.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Families to save in biggest home upgrade plan in British history (January 2026)
• GOV.UK: Warm Homes Plan (published 21 January 2026)
• GOV.UK: Warm Homes Loan Scheme, apply to participate as a lender (updated 17 September 2026)
• Reading Borough Council: Warm Homes: Local Grant
• MCS Foundation: Extend 0% VAT (March 2026)