Referrals for Warmer Homes Scotland have been paused from Friday 31 March 2023 and will be re-starting in October 2023.
Applications received by Home Energy Scotland from Saturday 1 April 2023 onwards have been assessed under the new eligibility criteria and referrals are being held onto until Monday 2 October 2023.
What is the Warmer Homes Scotland programme?
The Scottish Government’s Warmer Homes Scotland programme offers funding and support to households struggling to stay warm and keep on top of energy bills.
The programme is accessed by contacting Home Energy Scotland, who will check what support is available. If your household is eligible, we will then make a referral to Warmworks. Warmworks is the managing agent for Warmer Homes Scotland.
Who is the programme for?
Warmer Homes Scotland is designed to help people make their homes warmer and more comfortable by installing a range of energy saving improvements. The Scottish Government is offering assistance to homeowners and private sector tenants struggling to heat their home, who have lived in their home for at least twelve months, and who meet the eligibility criteria.
What's available through the programme?
The improvements offered will depend on a survey of the home. Assessors will come to your home to survey it and will recommend improvements suitable for the home, which could include a range of insulation and heating.
In most cases all costs will be met by the Scottish Government. Please note, funding cannot be accessed for work that's already been carried out. All home improvements funded by Warmer Homes Scotland must be managed by the approved installer. Completion of the Warmer Homes Scotland self assessment form does not guarantee that your application will be successful. All applications are subject to the availability of Scottish Government funding.
In some cases a customer contribution will be required for more expensive improvements, such as solid wall insulation. An interest free loan is available to help meet the costs of the customer contribution. The loan is subject to a credit check and includes an administration fee. More information about the loan will be provided by Warmworks if there is a customer contribution to pay. The loan is managed by Energy Saving Trust for the Scottish Government.
Potential improvements include:
- Wall insulation
- Loft insulation
- Draught-proofing
- Central heating (inc. new gas boilers)
- Renewables
How does it work for private tenants?
If you are a private sector tenant your landlord will be made aware of the improvements that can be funded by the Scottish Government and which ones they may be required to fund directly. Their permission is required to be given prior to any improvements being installed.
Since 1 August 2017, restrictions have been applied to the improvements available under Warmer Homes Scotland to householders living in privately rented properties. Private Rented Sector properties covered by the statutory Repairing Standard will no longer receive improvements that a landlord is legally obliged to provide. These householders will still be eligible for other improvements available under the programme if they are recommended for your home. For more information, speak to an advisor.
Who is eligible?
The eligibility criteria is summarised below.
If you do not meet the criteria for Warmer Homes Scotland you might be eligible for assistance through the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan, or an area-based scheme near you. And, if you’ve read the criteria but you’re unsure, use our self assessment tool – we’re here to help.
- Be a homeowner or the tenant of a private-sector landlord
- Live in the home as your main residence
- Have lived there for at least 12 months (unless in receipt of a DS1500 or BASRiS form)
- Live in home with a poor energy rating - this will be assessed by a surveyor
- Live in a home that meets the tolerable living standard set out in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 or, where the home does not meet the tolerable living standard, this will not impact on the effectiveness of the measures recommended for installation under the scheme
- Householders must not have received support for energy efficiency improvements through Warmer Homes Scotland funding in the last five years.
- Be 75 or over and have no working heating system
- Be 16 or over (working age) and be in receipt of a passport benefit or income-related benefit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)*
- Child Disability Payment (CDP)*
- Armed Forces Independence Payment/ War Disablement Payment
- Industrial Injuries Payment
- Carer’s Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
Income-related benefits:
- Council tax benefit/reduction scheme (excluding 25% discount e.g. single person or student)
- Universal Credit
- Housing benefit/allowance
- Income based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit (guarantee element)
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
*If your household receives low or medium rate DLA/CDP you need to also have an income-related benefit to be eligible.
How to apply
Simply call us on 0808 808 2282 or use our self assessment tool and one of our friendly advisors will be in touch.
We'll guide you through the complete process that will include booking the survey of your home and referring you to Warmworks, the managing agent of Warmer Homes Scotland, who will contact you.
Check eligibility
Check our self assessment tool to see if you're eligible for free funding to make your home warmer through the Warmer Homes Scotland programme.