Warm Homes: local grant

Free home improvements to help you save energy.

If you are a local resident on a low income, then we can help make your home warmer for free and help reduce your heating bills.

If you are a homeowner, you do not have to pay anything towards this – no deposit, no financial contribution to the scheme, and nothing to repay as Reading Borough Council has secured funding from central government for the scheme.

The funding is available for homes with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or below and will provide a range of energy efficiency improvements that can be retrofitted to your home such as solar panels, insulation upgrades and energy efficient lighting.

Landlords are able to receive one home fully funded by the scheme. A 50% financial contribution will be required by the landlord for any additional homes after that.

Reading Borough Council is working in partnership with Portsmouth City Council to deliver this scheme, along with 31 other local authority partners.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant begins delivery in 2025 and runs until 2028, but please be aware applications will be dealt with on a first come, first served basis, across all participating local authorities. The amount of government funding received for this scheme is limited so please act quickly to avoid disappointment.

Although we expect the scheme to fully launch in early 2026, there is likely to be a delay between registering your interest and receiving contact from Agility Eco.

We advise you to pre-register as soon as you can.

How it works

The scheme aims to improve insulation in low-income residents’ homes that have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or below. If your property doesn’t have an EPC rating, you can still apply.

Improvements covered by the scheme include:

• Insulation upgrades to help keep you warm in winter and cool in summer
• Ventilation upgrades to ensure good internal air quality
• A low carbon heating system such as an air source heat pump (which will mean upgrading any oil boiler)
• Heating controls which make sure you only use heat when you need it
• An energy efficient hot water solution to keep your hot water warmer for longer
• Solar panels (PV) to generate your own electricity
• Energy efficient lighting which is cheaper to run

A free survey will identify what is suitable for your home.

These improvements will help reduce the amount of energy used to heat your home and reduce carbon emissions, which would also contribute towards the aim of Reading becoming a net zero town.

Eligibility

To get these improvements, you should:

• Be classed as low income, which means:
  • your gross household income (total income) must be below £36,000 per annum
    OR
  • you receive certain means tested benefits
    OR
  • you live in pre-qualified postcode area – This will be verified after application
    AND
• Have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for your home with a rating of D or below. If your property doesn’t have an EPC rating, don’t worry you can still apply

You can check your postcode below to see if you live in a pre-qualified area:

For privately rented properties the tenant will need to meet the income criteria, and both landlord and tenant must consent to the grant application. 

Funding Available

Up to £15,000 per home is available for energy saving initiatives and an addition £15,000 is available for low carbon heating if it is deemed suitable for your property.

Who pays for the energy saving improvements?

The funding has been allocated to Reading residents from central government.

The good news is that you don’t have to pay for this and you will not be asked for any financial contribution towards the scheme or to pay any of the money spent back. 

How to apply?

Reading Borough Council is working in partnership with Portsmouth City Council deliver this scheme, and you are able to pre-register your interest in the scheme with the button above.

What happens next?

Once you have pre-registered, you will be contacted as soon as the scheme officially launches by Agility Eco who are appointed by the council to manage and deliver the scheme. Note that we expect the scheme to fully launch in early 2026, so there is likely to be a delay between registering your interest and receiving contact from Agility Eco. We will update this webpage when the launch date is confirmed.

Any Questions?

If you would like additional information regarding the Warm Homes: Local Grant funding or like to discuss this scheme with an officer from Reading Borough Council please contact – energyfunding@reading.gov.uk or call Reading Borough Council on 0118 937 3787.