The grant picture for windows shifted again in 2026, so any older advice you read about "free double glazing" needs checking against the current position. The big change came with the government's Warm Homes Plan, announced in January 2026: ECO4 was given a nine-month extension to 31 December 2026, but it will not be replaced, and funding is moving towards the council-run Warm Homes: Local Grant in England. Help still exists, but it is targeted, it varies by nation, and the headline figures come with real conditions attached. This guide sets out what is actually available now, who qualifies and how to apply. If a grant does not cover you, our costs hub shows what you would pay yourself, and our news section tracks any further changes.
The 2026 schemes at a glance
Funding is devolved, so the right scheme depends on which UK nation you live in. The table below summarises the main options as of June 2026, with the England-wide Warm Homes: Local Grant highlighted as the current headline route for most homeowners south of the border.
| Scheme | Nations | Status | Cover and eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECO4 | England, Scotland, Wales | Extended to 31 December 2026; no successor scheme after | Means-tested; can fund glazing for households on income-related benefits. Apply through an installer. |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant | England | Open to 2028, run by local councils | Up to £15,000 for fabric measures including double or triple glazing (plus up to £15,000 for low-carbon heating). Income under £36,000 or on benefits, EPC band D to G. |
| Home Energy Scotland | Scotland | Open, ongoing | Interest-free loan up to £8,000 for glazing (up to £9,500 with the £1,500 rural uplift). Owner-occupiers only. |
| Home Improvement Loans / Nest | Wales | Open, ongoing | Interest-free Home Improvement Loans of £1,000 to £35,000. Nest leans towards insulation and heating, so glazing is not guaranteed. |
| Affordable Warmth Scheme | Northern Ireland | Closed (ended March 2026) | Previously up to £7,500 for households earning under £23,000 a year. No longer open to new applications. |
Highlighted row is the current England headline scheme. Always confirm details on GOV.UK before applying.
England: ECO4 and the Warm Homes: Local Grant
Two schemes matter in England. ECO4 is the long-running supplier-funded scheme that has paid for free glazing for households on income-related benefits; it now runs to 31 December 2026 and will not be replaced, so eligible households should apply through an installer while it lasts. Looking ahead, the Warm Homes: Local Grant is the scheme to know. It is open to 2028, delivered by local councils, and offers up to £15,000 towards fabric measures that can include glazing, plus a separate £15,000 towards low-carbon heating. It targets lower-income households in homes rated EPC band D to G, the colder, less efficient properties where new windows make the most difference.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Scotland has the most generous standing offer for windows. Home Energy Scotland provides an interest-free loan of up to £8,000 towards upgrading single glazing, rising to up to £9,500 with the rural uplift, though the non-repayable grant no longer covers windows specifically. In Wales, interest-free Home Improvement Loans of £1,000 to £35,000 are the nearest equivalent to a window grant, while the Nest scheme is mainly about insulation and heating. In Northern Ireland, the Affordable Warmth Scheme closed at the end of March 2026, so it is no longer an option for new applicants.
Are you eligible? A quick checklist
You are more likely to qualify for help in 2026 if most of the following apply to you. None of these guarantees an award, but together they are a good signal that it is worth checking properly.
- You own your home or are a private tenant (rules vary by scheme).
- Your household is on a low income or receives qualifying benefits.
- In England, your home is rated EPC band D to G.
- Your property is poorly insulated or expensive to heat.
- You live in a nation with an open scheme (ECO4 closes at the end of 2026).
- You have not already had the same measure funded.
To check your own situation against the live schemes without reading all the small print, use our grant eligibility checker, which walks you through the main conditions in a couple of minutes. Landlords should also read our guide on using double glazing to reach the EPC C standard coming in 2030.
How to apply, step by step
The process is broadly the same wherever you live: find the right scheme, confirm you qualify, get your paperwork together and apply through the official channel only.
- Find your scheme. Identify the scheme for your nation, such as the Warm Homes: Local Grant in England or Home Energy Scotland in Scotland.
- Check your eligibility. Confirm you meet the income, benefit and property conditions, including the EPC band where it applies.
- Find your EPC rating. Look up your home's Energy Performance Certificate on the GOV.UK register.
- Gather evidence. Collect proof of income or qualifying benefits and your property details before you start.
- Apply through the official route. Use your local council or the named administrator on GOV.UK or the devolved government site. Never pay anyone to apply for you.
I have seen "you might be eligible for a grant" used as a closing line far too often. Treat the grant and the purchase as two separate questions. Sort your eligibility through the official channel first, and never sign for windows on the strength of a grant nobody has confirmed.
Tom Bradley, FENSA-registered installer
If it turns out you do not qualify, you are in the same position as most households, and the next step is simply to price the work fairly. Read whether double glazing is worth it for your home, and follow how to avoid being overcharged so you get a fair price with or without help.
Frequently asked questions
Only if you qualify for a grant, and only around 15% of households do. The Warm Homes: Local Grant in England can fund energy upgrades including glazing for lower-income households in EPC bands D to G, and ECO4 still funds it for some households on income-related benefits until it closes. There is no general scheme that gives free windows to everyone, so confirm eligibility before assuming free windows.
Not yet. ECO4 was extended by nine months and now runs to 31 December 2026 (the previous end date was 31 March 2026). The government confirmed at the November 2025 Budget that there will be no successor scheme after it, so if you are eligible through income-related benefits it is worth applying through an installer before the end of 2026.
It is the headline England scheme, run by local councils and open to 2028. It offers up to £15,000 towards fabric measures including double or triple glazing, plus a separate up to £15,000 towards low-carbon heating such as a heat pump. To qualify you generally need a household income under £36,000 or to be on benefits, and a home rated EPC band D to G.
Home Energy Scotland offers an interest-free loan of up to £8,000 towards upgrading single glazing to double or triple glazing, rising to up to £9,500 with the £1,500 rural uplift. The non-repayable grant is no longer available for windows specifically. The scheme is for owner-occupiers only, so landlords and developers cannot use it.
In Wales, interest-free Home Improvement Loans of £1,000 to £35,000 are the closest thing to a window grant, while the Nest scheme leans towards insulation and heating so glazing is not guaranteed. In Northern Ireland, the Affordable Warmth Scheme closed at the end of March 2026 and is no longer open to new applications.