Funding for Home Improvements

What help is available for home improvements?

If you need to repair, adapt or upgrade your home, several grant schemes and support services may be able to help. The exact assistance depends on your circumstances, where you live in the UK, and what work you need done. Most funding falls into two broad categories: adaptations for disabled people and energy efficiency improvements.

Be aware that many schemes are means-tested or linked to receiving certain benefits. Funding pots also open and close, so always check current availability before making plans. Your local council is often the best starting point, as it administers or can direct you to most of the help described below.

Grant Eligibility Finder

Tell us what you need funding for and we will match you with the types of UK grant most likely to accept your application.

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Grants for disability adaptations

The Disabled Facilities Grant helps pay for essential adaptations so disabled people can live more independently at home. This is a statutory grant available through local councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland operates a separate Scheme of Assistance.

Adaptations covered can include ramps, grab rails, stairlifts, widened doorways, level-access showers, and sometimes heating or control adaptations. In certain cases, funding may stretch to an extension. Owner-occupiers, tenants and landlords with a disabled tenant can all apply.

For adults, the grant is means-tested based on income and savings. However, there is no means test when the adaptation is for a disabled child or young person under 19. Receiving a Disabled Facilities Grant does not affect your other benefits. For current eligibility rules and how to apply, visit GOV.UK or contact your council directly.

Home Improvement Agencies can help you through the application process. These local services, sometimes called Care and Repair or Staying Put, support older, disabled and vulnerable people to repair, adapt and maintain their homes. Foundations is the national body for these agencies in England. You can search for your nearest agency at findmyhia.org.uk. Wales and Scotland have their own Care and Repair networks.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

Help with heating and insulation

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides upfront grants towards heat pumps and biomass boilers for homes in England and Wales. This scheme is not income-tested. An MCS-certified installer applies for and redeems the voucher on your behalf, discounting it directly from your quote. Your property will generally need a valid Energy Performance Certificate. Check the Ofgem website for current grant amounts and full eligibility.

Warm Homes: Local Grant replaced the Home Upgrade Grant in April 2025. Running until March 2028, it supports low-income households living in poorly performing privately owned homes in England. The scheme covers energy performance upgrades including insulation and solar panels, as well as low-carbon heating. Your local council assesses eligibility and delivers the programme.

ECO4, the Energy Company Obligation, provides insulation and heating upgrades for low-income, fuel-poor and vulnerable households across Great Britain. It operates through obligated energy suppliers rather than direct government funding. You may qualify if you receive certain benefits, or your council may refer you through its flexible eligibility route. ECO4 is winding down toward the end of 2026, with funding increasingly limited. Check with suppliers or approved installers for current availability.

The Great British Insulation Scheme, which offered free or subsidised loft and cavity wall insulation, was scheduled to end on 31 March 2026. Verify whether any availability remains before assuming you can apply.

Other council assistance and practical tips

Some councils offer discretionary home repair assistance or handyperson services for minor repairs and safety checks. Provision varies widely, so contact your council or local Home Improvement Agency to find out what exists in your area.

• Start with your council. It administers the Disabled Facilities Grant, Warm Homes: Local Grant and any local repair schemes.
• Never pay a fee to apply for these schemes. Legitimate grants do not require upfront application charges.
• Be cautious of unofficial websites. Use GOV.UK, Ofgem and your council for accurate, up to date information.
• Remember that devolution matters. Many schemes are England only or cover England and Wales only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own programmes.

Funding streams can close or change at short notice. Always verify a scheme is still accepting applications before assuming you can access it.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Grant Eligibility Finder lets you tell us what you need funding for and we will match you with the types of UK grant most likely to accept your application. Try it now →