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Increase the value of your home by installing new windows
New Windows Grants in the UK: A Comprehensive Guide (2025)
- With A to A++ double-glazed windows, you can save up to £150 on your annual heating bills, and make annual CO2 cuts of up to 410kg.
- A wide range of government grant schemes provide free or reduced-cost double-glazed windows, such as the ECO4 on a national scale, as well as localised schemes such as the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan, Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest Scheme, and Affordable Warmth Scheme in Northern Ireland.
- In most cases, basic eligibility requirements aim to assist fuel-poor, energy-inefficient homes, as well as economically vulnerable homeowners and tenants.
Uninsulated windows are responsible for up to 18% of home heat loss, reflected in high energy bills, poor temperature regulation, and a damp, drafty environment that poses risks of mould and rot growth. Double glazed windows provide a long-term sustainable solution to this problem, saving upwards of £150 on annual bills, as well as cutting domestic carbon footprints by a staggering 410kg every year. High-efficiency windows can also eliminate indoor dampness and condensation, keeping your home environment healthy and insulated.
However, not every household can afford the hefty first investment. A full set of energy efficiency double-glazed windows for a medium-sized UK home can cost upwards of £15,000. Luckily, there’s a wide range of government grant schemes that provide free or reduced-cost windows for eligible households. This complete guide by WhatCost will walk you through all you need to know to land the best bargain for an energy-efficient future in your home.
Ready to insulate your windows? Look no further than WhatCost for the best bargains on professional work. Instead of spending countless hours scouring the web for affordable accredited installers, spend just 30 seconds filling out our online form, and we’ll give you 4 free home-tailored quotes directly from our nationwide network of window installers. Click below to begin!
- Quotes from local installers
- Payment by finance available
- Save up to £150 per year
Which double glazing grants are available?
Currently, there are several national and local government grants for double glazing available in the UK and Northern Ireland. These aim to assist fuel-poor and energy-inefficient households with free double glazing or reduced-cost window upgrades. Here’s a breakdown of the current active schemes:
| Grant scheme | Duration | Coverage | Eligibility criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) | Double glazed windows and doors. | England, Scotland, and Wales | Low-income and energy-inefficient households. |
| Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan | Single-glazed window upgrades and draught proofing. | Scotland | Scottish homeowners. |
| Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest Scheme | Draught proofing & energy-efficient home improvements (excl. double glazed windows). | Wales | Energy-inefficient properties and residents on income-related benefits. |
| Affordable Warmth Scheme (Northern Ireland) | Single-glazed window upgrades and draught proofing. | Northern Ireland | Residents with an annual gross income under £23,000. |
Now that we have an overview of the active free window grants, let’s take a deeper dive into what each scheme provides as coverage, what is expected as qualification criteria, and how you can apply to benefit from the grant scheme.
ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation Scheme)
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is a nationwide obligation placed on energy suppliers to provide their customers with coverage for home efficiency upgrades. The ECO4 covers a wide range of potential upgrades, such as insulation and heating systems, as well as energy-efficient window upgrades.
Eligible homes are first assessed by administrators of the grant to determine the best course of action to improve energy efficiency. As the ECO4 takes a more whole-house approach, each qualifying household can receive up to 5 upgrade types, potentially including free double glazed windows.
- Low-income: Households with an annual gross income below 31,000.
- EPC rating: An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating tells you how energy efficient your home is. Grades range from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). An EPC rating of D – E for renters, or D – G for homeowners qualifies for grant assistance.
- Council tax bands: Council tax bands can also be an indicator of your financial stability. Council tax band categories A – D in England and A – E in Scotland and Wales are considered to be eligible for benefits from the ECO4 scheme.
As this scheme mainly aims to support low-income and fuel-poor households with grant assistance, the ECO4 also prioritises residents who are registered for at least one means-tested benefit. Here’s a full list of government benefit schemes that are considered:
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Guarantee Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
- Housing Benefit
In addition, pensioners 67 and above may still be eligible for the ECO4 grant even if they do not meet all the requirements. While a person's age is not a qualifying factor, the ECO4 Flex eligibility considers certain conditions, such as:
- A resident in your household has a medically diagnosed health condition that can be worsened by colder climates.
- A resident in your household has a child under 5, or a resident is over 65.
To apply for the ECO4 scheme, contact your energy provider directly to begin the process and arrange a house assessment to determine the best course of action for your needs.
Affordable Warmth Scheme in Northern Ireland
The Affordable Warmth Scheme is a Northern Ireland-based government grant scheme that aims to address the consequences of fuel poverty and energy inefficiency in the housing stock. It does so by providing up to £7,500 worth of upgrades. Homes with solid walls, as opposed to cavity walls, may receive up to £10,000 in coverage.
Similar to the ECO4 scheme, the Affordable Warmth Scheme takes a whole-house approach in administering a combination of efficiency upgrades to qualifying homes based on a priority tier. Priorities 1 and 2 focus on key avenues such as insulation, ventilation, draught-proofing and heating, whereas windows are categorized as a priority 3 upgrade.
- You must live in Northern Ireland.
- You must own and reside in your property as a main home, or rent from a private landlord as a main home.
- You must have a total annual gross income of less than £23,000.
In addition to the eligibility criteria, this grant scheme only accounts for domestic homes and does not assist homes that are for holidays, bed and breakfasts, or any other form of commercial establishment.
To apply for the Affordable Warmth Scheme in Northern Ireland, you can contact the NI Energy Advice Service (NIEAS) through the telephone number or email address provided on their official website to schedule an appointment.
Warmer Homes Scotland
The Scottish Government’s Warmer Homes Scotland programme offers support worth up to £10,000 or more for eligible households for energy-saving home improvements like heating and insulation to help make your home warmer and cheaper to heat.
Warmer Homes Scotland helps homeowners and private rented sector tenants in Scotland who are struggling to heat their homes. You can find out more about who is eligible below.
- You must be a homeowner or private-sector renter.
- You must live in your home as a main residence.
- You must be a resident for at least six months.
- Your home must fall into the council tax band categories A – F.
- You must live in a home with a poor energy rating, determined by an assessment.
- Your home must have a floor area of 230 m2 or less (up to five bedrooms).
- You must live in a home that meets the tolerable living standards outlined in the Housing (Scotland) Act of 2006.
- Eligible households must have a resident who is either aged over 75 with no central heating, a DS1500/BASRiS certificate by a medical professional or be benefitting from at least one passport benefit scheme.
Passport benefits are administered to qualifying individuals based on their income and livelihood status. Here are just some of the qualifying benefits the scheme takes into account when administering grants for replacement windows:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Carer’s Allowance
- Council Tax Reduction
- Child Tax Credit
- Disability Living Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits
- Pension Credit - Guarantee.
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credit
As the criteria for the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme are quite thorough, it’s recommended to consult directly with the scheme administrators when applying to make sure you meet all the required requirements.
Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan
The Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme is set up to provide Scottish homeowners with either a grant, an interest-free loan, or a combination of the two towards domestic energy efficiency measures.
Energy efficiency measures such as insulation can access coverage of up to 75% of the combined cost of measures, with a maximum grant amount of £7,500. The remainder of the cost can be covered via an interest-free loan.
For a windows replacement grant, such as double or triple glazing, Scottish households can get a one-time interest-free loan of £8,000, as there is no grant funding option for windows.
- You must be a Scotland resident.
- You must be a homeowner or a renter of an existing household.
- This household must be your primary private residence.
An advantage of the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme is that you don’t need to be a recipient of benefits to qualify for assistance. You can contact the administrators of the scheme directly to learn more about the application process.
It’s good to note that a grant scheme is only the first step on the road. It’s just as important to work with a professional installer to make sure you get your money's worth. WhatCost UK can free you from the tiresome research and vetting process with just a few clicks.
Simply fill out our 30-second online form, and receive up to 4 free home-tailored quotes in return. No charges, no obligations. Just click below to begin!
- Quotes from local installers
- Payment by finance available
- Save up to £150 per year
Paused or closed window replacement grants
Grant schemes also tend to run their course and get replaced with new streamlined approaches that optimise the funding process.
As such, the Home Upgrade Scheme (HUG2) has been discontinued and is inactive since March 2025, the HUG2 scheme was created in 2023 to provide between £3,000 - £24,000 of coverage for energy efficiency upgrades. Qualifying households could spend up to 40% of their grant as a double glazed windows grant. The scheme primarily targeted low-income households that were not connected to the gas grid.
Are there other ways to save money on new windows besides the grants
For households that are not eligible for a grant, not all is lost! There are plenty of other ways in which you can land a bargain on your window upgrade. Here are our best tips and tricks:
- Partial replacement: To make costs more manageable, you can start your window upgrades in portions, perhaps aiming for areas of the home that are most inhabited, such as the living room or main bedroom.
- Cheap window frames: There are many material options on the market for window frames, suited to all types of budgets. Opting for cheaper frames such as uPVC (£160 - £990) will be much cheaper than opting for materials such as timber (£240 - £1,485).
- Cheaper windows: Opting for the next best improvement from uninsulated windows can help save money, instead of opting for the best money can buy. For example, triple-glazed windows cost significantly more than a double glazing cost or even a secondary glazing cost.
- Look for sales: Window and frame manufacturers will often have seasonal sales, or try to offload surplus goods if they don’t sell well. Being patient and keeping an eye on such sales can land you a great bargain.
- Get multiple quotes: More often than not, the full cost of a window upgrade can seem murky when you work with an installation company. That’s why it’s important to get multiple quotes from reputable installers to have a better chance of landing a bargain. Don’t be afraid to negotiate with your installer to potentially land a price reduction or windows on finance.
By following these steps, you can ensure that you land yourself the best deal possible on windows that are not funded by a government grant scheme.
Should you make use of government grants for windows?
For those households that are eligible for grants for new windows, this can make a high-quality upgrade much more feasible. By providing full or partial cost coverage on double or triple-glazed windows, you can enjoy years of home comfort for a fraction of the investment cost. However, grants for windows and doors are only the beginning of the road, as the next most important step is working with an accredited professional.
A high-quality job can be the fine line between an effective home upgrade, and a repair-laden financial headache.
Finding the right installer can require countless hours of web surfing, phone calls, and quote comparisons. Instead of spending a stressful time researching and vetting, let WhatCost UK handle it for you.
All you need to do is fill out our 30-second online form, and we’ll send you up to 4 free home-tailored quotes from our nationwide network of pre-vetted professionals. The best part? Our services are completely free of charges and obligations. Simply click below to begin!
- Quotes from local installers
- Payment by finance available
- Save up to £150 per year
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