Glossary · Heat pumps, grants and regulations
What was the Green Homes Grant?
The Green Homes Grant was a government voucher scheme that paid up to two-thirds of the cost of energy efficiency and low carbon heating work, to a maximum of £5,000, or £10,000 for low-income households. It launched on 30 September 2020 and closed to new applications on 31 March 2021.
Key points
- The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme is closed. It stopped taking new applications at 5pm on 31 March 2021.
- Vouchers paid up to two-thirds of the cost of work, with a maximum government contribution of £5,000, or £10,000 for low-income households.
- There is no direct replacement. GOV.UK points people to the Find ways to save energy in your home service for live schemes.
- Today's heating grants include the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the Warm Homes: Local Grant and, until 31 December 2026, the Energy Company Obligation.
- If you had a problem with Green Homes Grant work, raise it with your installer first, then their TrustMark scheme provider.
How the Green Homes Grant worked
The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme was one of four green economic stimulus programmes announced in July 2020 to support recovery after the pandemic. It launched on 30 September 2020.[2]Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Evaluation of the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme (GHGV): Final outcome and economic evaluation report[3]Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme: evaluation Homeowners could apply for a voucher worth up to two-thirds of the cost of selected energy efficiency improvements and low carbon heat measures. The maximum government contribution was £5,000, or £10,000 for low-income households.[2]Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Evaluation of the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme (GHGV): Final outcome and economic evaluation report
Homeowners found a certified installer and applied for vouchers. The installer received the grant funding once the measure was fitted. Tenants could not receive a voucher themselves, although they could apply on behalf of a homeowner such as a landlord.[2]Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Evaluation of the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme (GHGV): Final outcome and economic evaluation report
Why it closed and what happened next
On 18 November 2020 the government announced the scheme would run to March 2022. On 27 March 2021 it announced that the scheme would close to new applications at 5pm on 31 March 2021. Vouchers already issued stayed eligible for around nine more months.[2]Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Evaluation of the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme (GHGV): Final outcome and economic evaluation report GOV.UK now says the voucher scheme is closed.[1]Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Green Homes Grant voucher scheme (closed)
The government’s own evaluation records what happened in practice.[2]Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Evaluation of the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme (GHGV): Final outcome and economic evaluation report
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Voucher applications | 169,430 |
| Properties covered by applications | 113,736 |
| Household applications rejected or withdrawn | 52,082 (46%) |
| Households whose vouchers expired | 18,475 (16%) |
| Households where measures were installed | 43,168 |
The evaluation says the early closure followed issues experienced by both applicant households and installers in the first months. It also says no direct replacement for the scheme has been put in place.[2]Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Evaluation of the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme (GHGV): Final outcome and economic evaluation report
What is available now
GOV.UK sends people with questions about live schemes to its Find ways to save energy in your home service.[1]Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Green Homes Grant voucher scheme (closed) Current grants that cover heating include these:
| Scheme | What it covers | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme | £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump | £2,500 for an air-to-air heat pump and £5,000 for a biomass boiler. Not available for hybrid systems |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | Insulation, air source heat pumps, smart controls and solar panels | Private homes in England with an EPC of D to G. Household income usually £36,000 or less |
| Energy Company Obligation | Insulation work and boiler or heating upgrades | Certain benefit claimants. Closes on 31 December 2026 |
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme figures are on the GOV.UK scheme page.[4]GOV.UK, Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: What you can get The Local Grant is on its own GOV.UK page.[5]GOV.UK, Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to improve a home The Energy Company Obligation page confirms the closing date.[6]GOV.UK, Help from your energy supplier: the Energy Company Obligation The Warm Homes Plan sets out the wider programme.
Example
Imran in Bradford saw an online advert saying he could still claim a “Green Homes Grant voucher” towards a new heating system. He checked GOV.UK and found that the scheme is closed. Instead he asked a BASI engineer about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which pays for a heat pump installed by an MCS certified installer. He also checked whether his council offers the Warm Homes: Local Grant.
What people get wrong
The Green Homes Grant is still widely searched for and still advertised, but the voucher scheme is closed. Any company that says you can still claim it should be checked against GOV.UK before you agree to anything.
The other common mistake is mixing it up with the schemes that followed. If you applied after March 2021 you may have used a Local Authority Delivery scheme, a Sustainable Warmth scheme or the Energy Company Obligation. In that case GOV.UK says to contact your local authority, scheme delivery partner or energy provider directly.[1]Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Green Homes Grant voucher scheme (closed)
The bottom line
The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme paid up to two-thirds of the cost of home upgrades, to a maximum of £5,000 or £10,000 for low-income households. It launched on 30 September 2020 and closed to new applications on 31 March 2021. For help with heating costs today, look at the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the Warm Homes: Local Grant and, until the end of 2026, the Energy Company Obligation. See our boiler grants page.
Common questions
Is the Green Homes Grant still available?
No. GOV.UK states that the Green Homes Grant voucher scheme is closed. It stopped accepting new applications at 5pm on 31 March 2021. For live schemes, use the GOV.UK Find ways to save energy in your home service.
How much was the Green Homes Grant?
A voucher was worth up to two-thirds of the cost of the chosen work, with a maximum government contribution of £5,000. Low-income households could receive up to £10,000.
What replaced the Green Homes Grant?
Nothing replaced it directly. Later programmes include the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the Home Upgrade Grant and the Great British Insulation Scheme. The Warm Homes Plan, published in 2026, is the current programme.
Who do I complain to about Green Homes Grant work?
Raise it with your installer first. If that fails, contact the installer's TrustMark scheme provider, who can direct you to an alternative dispute resolution provider or the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman.
Sources
We cite the original source for every figure: government, regulators, standards bodies and manufacturers' own documents. Each one shows the date we last checked it.
- Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Green Homes Grant voucher scheme (closed). Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Evaluation of the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme (GHGV): Final outcome and economic evaluation report. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme: evaluation. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- GOV.UK. Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: What you can get. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- GOV.UK. Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to improve a home. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩
- GOV.UK. Help from your energy supplier: the Energy Company Obligation. Checked 11 November 2026. ↩