Loft insulation grants in Cambridgeshire: who qualifies, and what if you do not
The main grant that pays for loft insulation here is the Warm Homes: Local Grant. It is for privately owned or rented homes rated D to G, where the household income is £36,000 or less or someone gets a means tested benefit. The money is handed out by financial year, and registering does not guarantee funding. If you do not qualify, or the money has run out, a survey with us is free and you get a written price.
Can I still get a grant for loft insulation in Cambridgeshire?
There is one main scheme, and whether it has money depends on the time of year. The councils' own page shows the position today.
The grant is run locally by Action on Energy, a partnership of the county council and the six city and district councils, Peterborough included. When we checked on 10 October 2026, its page said all available funding for the current financial year had been fully allocated, and that it was taking registrations of interest for the next phase. Check the position today on the Action on Energy page, or ring 01223 457340.
The two older schemes are no longer a way in. Ofgem says the Great British Insulation Scheme ended on 31 March 2026. It says ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026, and in May 2026 the councils said funding for it was extremely limited.
Newmarket and Haverhill come under a separate scheme, Warm Homes Suffolk, on 03456 037 686.
Sources: Action on Energy, Warm Homes Local Grant; Ofgem, Great British Insulation Scheme; Ofgem, Energy Company Obligation; Action on Energy, ECO4 and GBIS funding update; West Suffolk Council. All read 10 October 2026.Who qualifies for the Warm Homes: Local Grant?
You need to meet one of the first three, and the fourth.
The household has a combined income of up to £36,000 a year.
Someone gets Housing Benefit, income based Jobseeker's Allowance, income related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit or Universal Credit.
You live in an area the government has already identified. Peterborough's page words the postcode as a condition, not an alternative, so ring before you apply there.
It is rated D, E, F or G on its energy certificate, and is privately owned or privately rented. Park homes count.
Many homes here meet the last condition. Of 248,651 houses and bungalows in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, 115,323 are rated D to G on their most recent certificate. That is a count of certificates, some of them years old, and it says nothing about income. Our loft checker shows the rating on yours.
Sources: Action on Energy, Warm Homes Local Grant; GOV.UK, apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant; Peterborough City Council; our own count from government energy certificate data, explained on how we work out our figures. All read 10 October 2026.When does the grant open again, and is there a waiting list?
The money comes one financial year at a time, so a fresh amount arrives each April. That is why a council can run out in the autumn and start again in the spring.
The government's guidance to councils says funding cannot be carried across financial years, and anything unspent has to go back. The scheme runs for three years and its delivery window closes on 31 March 2028. The same guidance says money may be moved between councils during a year, so more can arrive before April. Nothing says it will here.
Putting your name down is not a place in a queue. Action on Energy says:
"Please note that registering your interest does not guarantee access to funding."
Action on Energy, Warm Homes Local Grant page.
When we checked, Huntingdonshire District Council's page said it was running a waiting list for the year that begins in April 2027.
Sources: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, delivery guidance for grant recipients, March 2026; policy guidance, July 2026; Action on Energy; Huntingdonshire District Council. All read 10 October 2026.Not eligible, or cannot wait until spring?
The survey is free and you get a written price before any work starts.
Can I ask for just loft insulation?
No. An assessor visits and draws up a plan for the whole house. Loft insulation is one of the things the plan can include.
Action on Energy says the work it can fund includes wall and loft insulation, draught proofing, windows and doors, heating and ventilation, and that all funding is discretionary. The work is done by contractors the councils have chosen.
It is also a small scheme. A report to South Cambridgeshire District Council says 82 homes across the whole partnership had upgrades in the first year, to 31 March 2026. It does not say how many of those were loft insulation.
Sources: Action on Energy, Warm Homes Local Grant; South Cambridgeshire District Council, Warm Homes: Local Grant year 1 report, 30 June 2026. All read 10 October 2026.Is the person on the phone or at the door genuine?
With this grant you apply first. Action on Energy says it will let you know who to expect contact from.
A caller who rings out of the blue to say you qualify is not part of that. How to tell a free loft survey from a scam.
Source: Action on Energy, Warm Homes Local Grant. Read 10 October 2026.What if I do not qualify, or cannot wait until next year?
Then the choice is to pay for it yourself. Four things to know first.
- Most lofts here are short. 75.5% of lofts with a recorded depth in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have less than the 270mm the Energy Saving Trust recommends. How much you need.
- The survey costs nothing. We look at what is there and give you a written price before any work starts. What decides the price.
- You get a straight answer from us. We are not part of any grant scheme, so we have no reason to tell you that you qualify or that you do not. The councils decide that.
- There is a discount for over 60s and for NHS, police and fire service staff. Mention it when you enquire.
Short answers
Is the Great British Insulation Scheme still open?
No. Ofgem says the scheme ended on 31 March 2026 and is closed to new installations.
Is ECO4 still running?
Ofgem says ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026. In May 2026 the Cambridgeshire councils said funding for it was extremely limited.
Can pensioners get free loft insulation?
There is no grant for age alone. Pension Credit is one of the benefits that counts towards the Warm Homes: Local Grant, and the home still has to be rated D to G. More for pensioners.
How do I apply for the grant?
Through Action on Energy for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, or on GOV.UK. The government helpline is 0800 098 7950.
Find out what your loft needs
Whichever way you pay for it, it helps to know what is up there now.
Written by Ben Criddle, who runs Complete Loft Services. Published . Facts checked on .