Insulation
Insulation is usually the first thing an installer will look at. Get the fabric of your home right and every other upgrade works harder.
- Typical install
- 1–2 days
- Disruption
- Low
- Funding routes
- Most common
A home that holds its warmth for longer
Fewer cold spots and draughts
Often a requirement before other measures are funded
Usually quick to install with limited disruption
The basics
What insulation actually does
Insulation slows down the heat escaping through your loft, walls and floors. It is often the first improvement recommended, because a warmer building fabric makes every other upgrade work better.
This is likely to suit you if…
- Your loft has little or no insulation
- Rooms feel cold soon after the heating goes off
- You have unfilled cavity walls or solid walls
- You are planning a heating upgrade later
Your options
Types of work an installer may recommend
Which option suits you depends on your property's construction, age and condition. A survey confirms what is possible.
Loft insulation
Mineral wool or similar laid between and over the joists.
Cavity wall insulation
Insulating material injected into the gap between two brick layers.
Solid wall insulation
Applied internally or externally where there is no cavity.
Underfloor insulation
Fitted beneath suspended timber floors.
Insulate before you upgrade the heating
Most funded programmes ask for a well-insulated home before they will support a new heating system. Doing the fabric first also means the system you install can be smaller and cheaper to run.
Step by step
How the journey usually runs
- 1
Initial eligibility check
- 2
Property survey by your chosen installer
- 3
Confirmation of funding by the scheme or funder
- 4
Installation and post-work checks
Paying for it
Funding routes that may apply
Funding is never guaranteed. These are the routes most often used for this type of work in the UK.
Energy supplier obligation schemes
Local authority delivered programmes
Nation-specific home energy programmes
Schemes that can cover insulation
Home Warmth Support Scheme
A sample obligation-style scheme offering insulation and heating improvements to households meeting income or benefit-related criteria.
Who it may suit: Lower-income households and certain benefit recipients in less efficient homes.
InsulationHeatingVentilation
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Council Retrofit Partnership
A sample local authority delivered programme improving whole homes in specific postcode areas.
Who it may suit: Households within targeted areas, subject to property and income criteria.
InsulationSolarWindows and doors
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Warmer Homes Support (Scotland sample)
A sample Scotland-only programme offering advice, funding and in some cases interest-free loans.
Who it may suit: Scottish households meeting income, benefit or property-condition criteria.
InsulationHeatingHeat pumps
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Affordable Warmth Support (NI sample)
A sample Northern Ireland programme delivered with councils for lower-income households.
Who it may suit: Northern Ireland households below a defined income threshold.
InsulationHeatingWindows and doors
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Social Housing Improvement Fund
A sample fund supporting improvements to social housing stock, applied for by the landlord.
Who it may suit: Social landlords improving lower-rated properties. Tenants cannot apply directly.
InsulationSolarHeating
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Initial results are indicative only. Final eligibility and funding are subject to checks by the relevant scheme, authority, funder or installer.
Be prepared
Questions worth asking an installer
Which type of insulation suits my property construction?
Will ventilation need to be improved at the same time?
What guarantee comes with the work?
Who handles the funding paperwork?
Every installer listed with us is checked for accreditation and insurance before they appear in your matches.
Questions
Common questions
Read next
Related advice
How home-improvement grants work
Who funds these schemes, why criteria differ across the UK, and what actually happens between applying and installation.
6 min read
Grants for insulation
Why insulation is usually first in the queue, and which types tend to be supported.
5 min read
Keep exploring
Other home improvements
See what funding may apply to your home
A free check takes a couple of minutes, never affects your credit score, and shows the schemes and installers relevant to your postcode.