Three-fifths of households (60 per cent) say they can’t afford to make home improvements that would help them reduce their energy bills- Nearly seven million households (24 per cent) are unaware of government grants that fund energy-saving upgrades for eligible households
- Half of households (52 per cent) would apply for a government-backed grant if they knew they were eligible
- Only three in ten households (29 per cent) know their EPC rating, while one in ten (11 per cent) have never heard of an EPC certificate
- Bradford has the highest rate of households claiming supplier-funded ECO4 energy grants at 379 per 1,000, while Battersea in London has the lowest, at just nine per 1,000
- Uswitch.com is raising awareness of the energy grants by launching an easy-to-use grant checker tool so households can find out which they might be eligible for
Three-fifths of households (60 per cent) say they can’t afford to carry out home improvements that would save them money on their energy bills, reveals research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
The UK has millions of older homes that were built before modern energy efficiency standards, with many suffering from poor insulation, outdated heating systems and single-glazed windows. Half of households (52 per cent) say they would like to make changes to improve their home’s energy efficiency to reduce their gas and electricity bills.
90 per cent of the nearly nine million UK homes with solid walls don’t have solid wall insulation, according to government data. More than eight million homes are lacking the recommended amount of loft insulation, and over three million properties are without the cavity wall insulation they need.
A number of government schemes are available to help households become more energy-efficient, with 420,600 measures installed in 2024 in 120,900 homes across the country.
But a quarter of UK households (26 per cent) aren’t aware that these schemes are available – nearly seven in ten (68 per cent) have no knowledge of the Energy Company Obligation scheme, one among the most commonly available nationwide schemes.
Table: Government energy schemes available
| Scheme name | Countries available | Potential uses | Scheme provider |
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme | England, Wales | Switching a fossil fuel heating system for a heat pump or biomass boiler. | UK Government |
| Energy Company Obligation | England, Scotland, Wales | Upgrading a heating system, switching to a heat pump, adding insulation, installing solar panels. | Energy suppliers and local authorities |
| Great British Insulation Scheme | England, Scotland, Wales | Adding loft installation, adding cavity wall insulation | UK Government |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | England | Adding insulation, switching to a heat pump, installing solar panels. | Local authorities |
| Warmer Homes Scotland | Scotland | Adding wall and/or loft insulation, draught proofing, upgrading a heating system, switching to a heat pump, installing solar panels. | Scottish Government |
| Nest Scheme Wales | Wales | Replacing a gas boiler, switching to a heat pump, adding insulation, installing solar panels. | Welsh Government |
| Affordable Warmth Scheme Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland | Adding wall and/or loft insulation, draught proofing, upgrading a heating system, replacing a boiler, replace single-glaze windows. | Northern Ireland Housing Executive |
Source: Uswitch.com analysis
Half of households (52 per cent) say they would apply for a grant to improve their home’s energy efficiency if they knew they were eligible – with a third of consumers (32%) saying they didn’t try because they thought they wouldn’t be eligible. One in six who didn’t apply (17 per cent) say it is because they weren’t aware of the schemes per cent.
Most UK properties built, rented or sold since 2008 will have an energy performance certificate (EPC) that shows how much energy the home uses for heating, lighting and hot water. An EPC certificate highlights where improvements like insulation can be made to improve the specific home’s energy efficiency.
Unfortunately, fewer than three in ten households (29 per cent) know what their home’s EPC rating is, with one in ten (11 per cent) admitting that they don’t know what an EPC rating is.
Bradford West is the UK parliamentary constituency with the most ECO measures – with 379 installed per 1,000 households. By comparison, Battersea in West London has fewer than nine per 1,000.
Uswitch is raising awareness of the energy grants with an easy-to-use grant checker tool
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