Status in October 2026

As of 10 October 2026, the GOV.UK application service is live. The scheme delivers work from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028. However, an open service does not mean every council has money left today.

GOV.UK only promises a home survey if your local council has funding available. If it does, the council arranges and pays for the agreed work. For owner-occupiers, the official guidance says you do not have to contribute.

Who can apply

The grant is only for England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own routes, which our funding routes by nation pages explain. If you live in Wales, read our guide to solar funding routes in Wales instead.

GOV.UK sets three main conditions for the home. Check each one before you apply, because all three must be true.

  • The home is in England.
  • You or your landlord privately own the home.
  • The home has an EPC of D, E, F or G.

A rating of A, B or C does not qualify, so check yours first. Our guide to how your EPC rating affects solar funding shows how to look yours up.

Income, postcode and benefits

GOV.UK says your household income must usually be 36,000 pounds a year or less. However, you may still qualify above that if you live in a certain postcode area. You may also qualify if someone in your household gets certain benefits.

Council guidance names the benefits that count, so check the list. The list covers only Housing Benefit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit and Universal Credit. Any member of the household, other than lodgers or adults in full-time education, can be the person who receives them. Read more in our guide to solar funding if you get benefits.

Some households get an income test after housing costs instead. For that reason, do not rule yourself out on income alone. Use the official checker, which asks the right questions for you.

What the council decides

After you apply online, the council will usually contact you within 10 working days. It then arranges a home survey if it has funding. The survey shows which improvements suit your home.

GOV.UK lists solar panels among the possible improvements. Others include insulation, air source heat pumps and smart controls. As a result, you might be offered a different package, or no solar at all.

Under this grant, solar panels need an MCS approved product and an MCS certified installer. The installer must also be TrustMark registered. Nobody can promise you a particular measure before the survey.

Landlords and tenants

If you rent, your landlord must agree, because a landlord owns the home. GOV.UK says landlords may need to pay for some of the improvements. Council guidance says a private landlord may get one home fully funded, and pays half the cost of further homes.

Tenants do not have to contribute. Pensioners in rented homes face the same rules, so see our guide to solar panel grants for pensioners for the benefit routes that matter most.

How it fits the wider plan

Meanwhile, the government published its Warm Homes Plan on 21 January 2026. The plan says the government will deliver at first through the existing Local Grant, then merge it into a combined offer later. Our page on the Warm Homes Plan and solar explains what is announced and what is not yet open.

A separate scheme, ECO4, works through energy suppliers rather than councils. It ends on 31 December 2026. See ECO4 and solar panels for how it differs.

What to do next

Specifically, start with the broad questions on our funding checker guide, then apply on GOV.UK. Never pay to apply, and never use contact details given only by a caller.

Meanwhile, some councils also run group-buying schemes, which are discounts rather than grants. Our guide to council solar schemes and group buying explains the difference.

Questions to ask before you agree

For example, a council letter or call should name the scheme and the council. Before you share details, ask who will survey the home. Ask which installer will do the work, and whether you must pay anything.

Because scams copy real grants, check the council contact details yourself. Our guide to questions to ask before you consent has a full list. Likewise, read the scams and red flags guide if a caller pushes you to decide today.

FAQ / QUICK ANSWERS

Common questions

Can I get free solar panels from the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
Possibly, but nothing is guaranteed. GOV.UK lists solar panels among improvements a council might suggest. Your council decides after a survey, and only if it has funding available.
What EPC rating do I need for the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
GOV.UK says the home needs an EPC of D, E, F or G. If you do not know your rating, you can find it out when you apply.
Is the Warm Homes: Local Grant only for people on benefits?
No. GOV.UK says household income must usually be 36,000 pounds a year or less. You may also qualify through a postcode area or a benefit, so read the official page before ruling yourself out.
Does the grant cover a solar battery?
Council guidance says a battery can only be fitted where it works with new or existing solar panels. Installs were paused in November 2025 and could resume from 2 February 2026. Ask your council what it offers.