Get free solar panels and heat pumps – see if you’re eligible under the Warm Homes Plan

You could get free solar panels and cheap loans to make your home more energy efficient under the Warm Homes Plan.

The government just announced a £15 billion package to upgrade up to 5 million homes by 2030. It’s aimed at cutting bills for good, tackling fuel poverty, and making sure fewer families are stuck living in cold, damp houses.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “It is a scandal that millions of people in our country do not have the security of a home that is warm, affordable and safe.

“With this investment, we embark on a national project to turn the tide - waging war on fuel poverty and taking another step forward in tackling the affordability crisis for families throughout Britain.”

This plan could benefit you whether you’re on a low income, a renter, or a homeowner. Here at thinkmoney, our resident consumer finance expert Vix Leyton says: "This is one of those rare policies that actually meets people where they are. If you’re on a low income, you get upgrades you could never afford.

"If you’re renting, your landlord is finally forced to stop treating warmth as a luxury. And if you own your home, cheap government-backed loans mean going green stops being just for people with spare cash.

"The real win here is that lower bills come from better homes, not just temporary discounts."

Low‑income households to get free solar panels and heat pumps

If you’re on a low income (a household income of under £36,000) or in fuel poverty, you could get free solar panels and other improvements through the Warm Homes: Local Grant initiative.

If you're in social housing, your whole street may get improvements together under the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund initiative. These are both part of the wider Warm Homes Plan.

What you could get if you’re on a low income

If you're on a low income, the government could fully cover the cost of upgrades that make your home warmer and cheaper to run. That could include things like:

• free solar panels
• free insulation
• free heat pumps

To put this into perspective, a typical solar‑and‑battery package costs £9,000–£12,000, and the scheme could pay for the whole thing.

Who qualifies for free solar panels

You’re likely eligible for free solar panels if:

• your home is in England
• your home is privately owned (either by you or your landlord)
• your home has an energy performance certificate (EPC) of D, E, F, or G
• you have a household income of less than £36,000 per year or you’re on certain benefits

How do I apply for free solar panels as a homeowner?

If you're a homeowner, you can check your eligibility and apply for free solar panels via the government website. The form is really simple – we just tried it and it took us less than 5 minutes to fill out.

You’ll have to:

• confirm you own your home
• fill out your address
• state your household income

Once this is done, you’ll be told whether you’re likely to be eligible.

If you are, you’ll need to fill out a quick form with your contact details which the government will then forward to your local council.

Your local council will then contact you within 10 working days to get more information from you and arrange a home survey.

How do I apply for free solar panels as a renter?

If you’re a renter, you’ll need to contact your council and apply directly. You’ll need to speak to your landlord first and ensure they support your application.

The same goes for landlords, they have to apply for the Warm Homes – Local Grant scheme through the council.

Renters to get better protections and warmer homes

Under the plan, the government is bringing in new rules that force landlords to make sure your home is warm, safe, and affordable to heat. Most landlords will need to upgrade their properties to meet EPC Band C standards by October 2030. The government believes this will lift hundreds of thousands of households out of fuel poverty by 2030.

Right now, 1.6 million children live in private rentals with damp, cold, or mould. The new rules aim to tackle that head‑on. Landlords are already eligible for a range of grants to help them meet their new obligations.

How do I get low interest loans as a homeowner?

Homeowners will be able to apply for new government-backed low or zero-interest loans to help pay for improvements like solar panels and heat pumps. Any homeowner will be able to apply, as these loans will not be means-tested.

These loans will be available on top of the existing heat pump grants where eligible households can get up to £7,500 towards a heat pump.

More details will be released later this year on how the application process for the loans will work.

Warm Homes Plan - key takeaways

It’s a lot to take in, so here’s a quick summary of the changes happening under the Warm Homes Plan.

• If you’re on a low income, you could get free solar panels and batteries, saving you up to £12,000. You might also be able to get other freebies to make your home warmer.
• If you’re a renter, your landlord might soon be required to get upgrades sorted, making sure you have a warm home and lower energy bills as a result. They can already apply for some of the grants available to help them meet these requirements.
• If you’re a homeowner and aren’t on a low income, you likely won’t get the panels free, but you can get very cheap or even zero interest government-backed loans to install them yourself. Details to follow later this year.
• Certain homeowners are also eligible for heat pump grants of up to £7,500 and biomass boilers of up to £5,000. These can be used with the loans to fund improvements.
• If you’re planning on buying a new home in the next few years, new build properties will come with solar panels as standard and the change could happen as early as 2026.

Some of these schemes are already running, while others have been announced recently with further details expected soon.