Use Grants Before They Vanish to Climb the EPC Ladder
Lock in grants now to boost your EPC rating and get ahead of the looming MEES compliance deadline.
In our recent blog, we broke down the proposed changes to Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). The key takeaway? Soon, EPC Band C (or whatever its future equivalent becomes) will be the minimum legal standard for rental properties. You can read the full breakdown here.
Strategy #3 is simple: use the grants available now to make targeted improvements that boost your EPC score. Ideally you will already hit EPC Band C with these improvements, but even if you don’t quite make the cut, you’ll still squeeze every last drop of value from the grants while they last.
At Green Home Guide we understand that these grant schemes are complicated. That’s why we are developing a handy online tool that will assess your eligibility across several grant schemes and match them with the improvements that make most sense for your property. This last part is key, otherwise it can be like buying a discounted lawnmower when you only have a patio. The lawnmower might be top-of-the-range and cheap-as-chips, but it’s useless for your circumstances.
How Does It Work?
Landlords can currently tap into a range of government-backed grants aimed at improving home energy efficiency. These schemes can help pay for insulation, heating upgrades, renewable electricity generation (e.g. solar PV), and more. The trick is matching your property’s needs with the right funding pot before it disappears.
Here are the major grant schemes currently in operation:
- Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) – Helps fund cavity wall, loft and solid wall insulation for eligible properties. Targeted mainly at low EPC homes (D or below) and certain council tax bands. Ends March 2026.
- Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2) – Covers off-gas-grid properties in England with low EPC ratings. Grants can fund insulation, heat pumps, solar and more. Runs to March 2026, but funding is competitive and can run out early.
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) – Offers up to £7,500 towards installing a heat pump or biomass boiler. Current funding until April 2028, but uptake is rising sharply.
- Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) – Energy suppliers fund improvements for low-income tenants or those in fuel poverty. Measures include insulation, heating upgrades and renewables. Runs until March 2026.
Why Act Now?
The clock is ticking. Not just on the new EPC and MEES rules for landlords, but also on many of the grants that can help you meet them. A surprising number of these grant schemes are set to end well before the likely late-2026 regulatory overhaul, which means waiting could mean missing out on thousands of pounds of free funding towards things you may need to invest in later down the line anyway. Once they’re gone, landlords may have to foot the entire retrofit bill themselves.
Think of it like booking your summer holiday. The early birds get the £19.99 flights, whereas those who book late may be left with middle seats at ten times the price.
Could My Property Qualify?
You might be surprised. Even if your tenants aren’t low-income, certain schemes are open to all landlords. Others are means-tested, so eligibility depends on your tenants’ circumstances or your property’s EPC rating.
What’s the Catch?
- Grant criteria can be fiddly – There are several grants each with different criteria, timeframes, and home improvement measures supported. That’s where Green Home Guide comes in.
- Timelines are short – Many of the schemes close soon, so it requires action soon.
- Future compliance risk – Even with grant-funded works, there’s no guarantee your property will hit EPC Band C, meaning you could still face further upgrades later. Green Home Guide can support here by ensuring you only make upgrades that are part of a plan to hit EPC C.
What Should I Do Next?
Green Home Guide’s upcoming online tool will match your property’s profile with the best available grants and the upgrades most likely to boost your score. Maximising funding and minimising out-of-pocket spend.
References
- Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings consultation (Dec 2024–Feb 2025): https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforms-to-the-energy-performance-of-buildings-regime
- MEES consultation for private rented sector (Feb 7–May 2, 2025): https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-the-energy-performance-of-privately-rented-homes-2025-update/improving-the-energy-performance-of-privately-rented-homes-consultation-document-html
- Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS): https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/great-british-insulation-scheme-release-may-2025/summary-of-the-great-british-insulation-scheme-may-2025
- Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-upgrade-grant-phase-2
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS): https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme
- Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4): https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/energy-company-obligation-eco
