If you’re looking to make your home warmer, more efficient, and cheaper to run, funding support is available to help with the costs. Retrofitting improves comfort, reduces energy bills, and lowers your carbon footprint – but the upfront investment can feel like a hurdle.

From national grants to local council support, there are schemes designed to make home energy improvements more affordable. Here’s what’s available in Oxfordshire and how we can help you navigate your options.

Funding for Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire has funding schemes specifically designed to help homeowners and landlords improve their properties.

Home Upgrade Grant (HUG)

For homes off the gas grid: If your home relies on expensive heating like oil, coal, or electric panel heaters, the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) can help cover costs for insulation, heating upgrades, and other energy-saving improvements.

Current status: The latest phase has closed, but more funding is expected soon. Check Oxfordshire County Council’s website for updates.

Warm Homes Local Grant

A new scheme (March 2025) provides funding for low-income households to improve insulation and install low-carbon heating. Check GOV.UK for updates or read our Government unveils Warm Homes Plan article.

Support from local councils

Oxford City Council and district councils across Oxfordshire offer advice and, in some cases, financial support for retrofitting. Each council runs its own schemes, so it’s worth checking what’s available:

• Oxford City Council
• South Oxfordshire District Council
• Oxfordshire County Council
• West Oxfordshire District Council

National funding schemes

Alongside local grants, UK-wide schemes can help homeowners make energy-efficient upgrades.

Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)

For homes with poor insulation: If your home has an EPC rating of D or below, you could qualify for free loft and cavity wall insulation. This helps reduce heating costs and keeps your home warmer in winter.

Check eligibility: Find out more on GOV.UK

Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)

Fully funded upgrades for low-income households: If you receive certain benefits or struggle with high energy costs, ECO4 could provide fully funded insulation and heating system improvements.

Check eligibility: Visit Ofgem’s ECO4 page

Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)

Grants of up to £7,500! Thinking about switching to a heat pump? The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers grants to replace old gas or oil boilers with an air or ground source heat pump – helping to future-proof your home.

Apply here: Boiler Upgrade Scheme on GOV.UK

How to get started

If you’re not sure where to begin, here’s how to take the first step:

Check your home’s energy efficiency

Your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a good starting point, but remember that an EPC rating doesn’t tell the full story. A retrofit assessment provides a clearer picture of where improvements will have the biggest impact. Find out what your property’s EPC rating is.

Explore your funding options

Even if you don’t qualify for full grants, there are partial funding and financing solutions to help spread the cost. The Green Energy Loan offers low-interest financing for energy efficiency upgrades.