The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) For tenants, homeowners and landlords

The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) was a government scheme that helped households in England, Scotland and Wales with the cost of insulating their homes, usually by funding a single insulation measure per eligible home. It was administered by Ofgem on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

GBIS has closed. Ofgem says the scheme began in April 2023 and ended on 31 March 2026, and it is now closed to new installations. We keep this page for reference, for example if you had GBIS work done and need to raise a problem.

Find funding you qualify for

See the home and energy grants open right now and check your eligibility.

Purpose of GBIS

The scheme aimed to:

  • improve the energy performance of homes with poor EPC ratings (D–G)
  • lower energy bills by reducing heat loss
  • give low- and middle-income households access to free or subsidised insulation
  • support carbon reduction and fuel poverty targets

Who GBIS Was For

There were two main eligibility groups:

  • Low-income group: households where someone received a qualifying means-tested benefit, living in a home rated EPC D to G.
  • General group: an income-neutral route for homes rated EPC D to G in council tax bands A–D in England (A–E in Scotland and Wales).

GBIS also had a flexible route through which councils could refer households. It ended with the scheme. See what LA Flex is.

Measures It Covered

GBIS usually funded one insulation measure per property, such as:

  • Loft insulation
  • Cavity wall insulation
  • Solid wall insulation (internal or external)
  • Pitched or flat roof insulation
  • Underfloor insulation
  • Room-in-roof insulation
  • Park home insulation

Work had to be carried out by TrustMark-registered installers, after a survey of the property. Private tenants needed their landlord’s consent before work could go ahead.

GBIS has ended. The related ECO4 scheme runs until 31 December 2026, but Consumer Rights can no longer help with ECO4 applications. Instead:

You can check your home’s EPC rating on GOV.UK.

Problems With GBIS Work?

If something has gone wrong with insulation installed under GBIS, complain to the installer first, then to the energy supplier that funded the work. You can also check the installer’s credentials and raise issues with TrustMark. Our guide to ECO4 and GBIS complaints explains the steps.