Which Energy grants and schemes are available in 2026?

Last reviewed: 06 October 2026

As energy prices continue to put pressure on household budgets, many people are looking for ways to reduce the cost of keeping their homes powered. The good news is that, to ease this pressure, there are several government schemes designed to help households with energy costs. Support ranges from one-off discounts on energy bills to funding for insulation and other energy-efficiency improvements.

However, keeping up with the new schemes and grants can be a tiring process. Read on to see a curated list of energy grants and schemes available in 2026. 

Warm Home Discount

Warm Home Discount provides a one-off £150 discount applied directly to your electricity bill. The 2026/27 scheme reopens in October 2026. In England and Wales, eligibility is based on receiving a qualifying means-tested benefit.  Scotland has a two-track system with some households receiving the discount automatically and others able to apply directly.

Recent eligibility for England and Wales:

• Your energy supplier is part of the scheme
• You or your partner receive Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Pension Credit
• Your name, or your partner's name, is on the electricity bill

Recent eligibility for Scotland:

You can either get the discount automatically or have to apply to your supplier directly.  

You will get the discount automatically if you or your partner: 

• Get Pension Credit
• Get an extra amount of Universal Credit because you or your child has a disability or health condition
• Get a disability premium or a pensioner premium of income-related Employment Support Allowance
• Get a disability premium or a pensioner premium and have a Support for Mortgage Interest loan
• If you or your partner has reasonability of a child under 5 who lives with you and you or your partner are unemployed or receive universal credit, get income-related employment support allowance, have a support for mortgage interest loan. 
• If you do not get the discount automatically, you will need to apply directly to your energy supplier. 

See the full Warm Home Discount scheme for latest eligibility, dates and how it is applied and Warm Home Discount 2026/27 guide for more information on how to apply. 

Winter Fuel Payment

Winter Fuel payment is between £100 and £300 to help with heating costs over winter, for people who have reached State Pension age. Most eligible people receive the payment automatically. A confirmation letter is normally sent in October or November, with payments typically following in November or December. Where an eligible household has an income above £35,000, HMRC reclaims the payment.

When you will not be eligible:

• Normally live outside England, Wales or Northern Ireland
• Were only visiting England, Wales or Northern Ireland during the qualifying week, 21 to 27 September 2026, and normally live elsewhere
• Received free hospital treatment throughout the qualifying week and the preceding year
• Need permission to enter the UK and your leave does not allow you to claim public funds
• Were in prison throughout the qualifying week, 21 to 27 September 2026

If you live in a care home: 

You will not be eligible if both of the following apply:

• You get Universal Credit, Pension Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• You lived in a care home for the whole time from 29 June 2026 or earlier

Winter Fuel Payment does not operate in Scotland, where the separate Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is available.

Find out more about Winter Fuel Payment through our guide.

Cold Weather Payment

Cold Weather Payment provides £25 for each qualifying seven-day period when the average local temperature is recorded or forecast to be 0°C or below. It is available to people receiving certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest and is paid automatically, so there is no need to apply.

Eligibility:

You may get Cold Weather Payments if you’re getting certain benefits, including:

• Pension Credit
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Universal Credit
• Support for Mortgage Interest

Cold Weather Payment does not operate in Scotland. Instead, eligible households can receive the annual Winter Heating Payment, which is not dependent on local weather conditions. Our guide on Cold Weather Payment explains more in detail on how to apply and who is eligible.

Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)

ECO4 is different from the schemes above because it does not usually give you a cash payment or a direct discount on your energy bill. Instead, participating energy suppliers are required to fund energy-efficiency improvements for eligible households. These can include measures such as insulation and heating improvements. 

ECO4 is primarily aimed at low-income, fuel-poor and vulnerable households. Eligibility can depend on the benefits you receive, your household circumstances and the energy efficiency of your home. There are also routes through local authorities and suppliers under ECO4 Flex, which can allow some households to qualify based on local eligibility criteria rather than simply receiving a qualifying benefit. 

If you own your home, the property's energy efficiency rating can also be relevant. GOV.UK says homeowners may qualify where the property has an EPC rating of D, E, F or G. For private renters, the property generally needs an EPC rating of E, F or G, and the landlord's permission is required before work can be carried out. 

There is no single central ECO4 application form. You can find out whether you may qualify by contacting an participating energy supplier, your local authority or an approved installer. 

ECO4 currently runs until 31 December 2026. The scheme was extended by nine months, so it is particularly important to check availability if you are considering applying later in 2026. 

Our Energy Company Obligation guide explains how the scheme works and who may qualify.

Insulation support

The Great British Insulation Scheme was a separate scheme designed to fund single insulation measures for a wider range of households. It closed to new applicants on 31 March 2026.

ECO4 remains a route to funded insulation and other energy-efficiency improvements for eligible households while the scheme continues to run. 

For more information, see our guide to government grants for insulation.

Support for disabled and vulnerable customers

Some forms of energy support are not direct bill discounts. The Priority Services Register (PSR) provides free practical support to eligible customers, including help such as priority contact during an emergency and accessible bills. It can support disabled customers, pensioners and people in other vulnerable circumstances, and can also make it easier to access certain forms of help from an energy supplier.

Our gas and electricity discounts and support guide explains the PSR and other support available in more detail.

If a bill still feels unmanageable

Government support will not necessarily cover the full cost of an unaffordable energy bill. If you are still struggling after checking which schemes you may qualify for, speaking to your supplier should be the next step. 

Our guide on what to do if your energy bill is too high covers practical checks and next steps, including contacting your supplier about payment arrangements. 

If you have checked the schemes available to you, it is also worth comparing your current tariff with the alternatives available. Compare energy tariffs to see whether there is a better deal for your household.

Which energy support could I qualify for?

Eligibility is not always based on the benefit you receive alone. Your location, household circumstances, income, property type and energy efficiency can also affect whether you qualify, so use the individual scheme's eligibility rules before assuming you are entitled to support.

Frequently asked questions