How to get free cavity wall and loft insulation

by Simon Ward on 04 December 2012  |  15 comments
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It's your last chance to get free insulation installed in your home before the Government's Green Deal scheme launches. And if you're on a low income or benefits, you could get cash or vouchers as well.

The weather is getting colder and our energy bills are rising. These two factors alone might make you think about installing insulation if you haven't got it already. But it's also your last chance to potentially get it installed for free.

Back in April 2008, the then-Labour Government introduced the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT). This put some of the responsibility for reducing carbon dioxide emissions on the shoulders of the big energy companies.

As part of CERT, companies have to offer financial help with energy efficiency measures, such as loft and wall insulation. They also have to increase the amount of energy they generate from renewable technologies such as wind and solar power. It’s estimated that good loft and cavity wall insulation could reduce average energy bills by £310 a year.

In July 2010, the current Government extended the final phase of CERT from March 2011 to December 2012. It also ordered the energy companies to focus on insulation and imposed a tougher emissions reduction target.

CERT is being replaced by the Green Deal in January. This scheme offers loans for energy efficiency improvements, from loft insulation to solar panels, but these will need to be repaid via a household's energy bills.

So if you want to take advantage of CERT, you need to act now.

The really great thing about this scheme is that you don’t have to get the insulation installed by the company who supplies your energy. If you're on a low income or benefits, you could also receive cash once your installation is completed.

What the energy companies are offering

Here’s a breakdown of who's still offering the CERT installations and who is eligible:

Your local council may also be still offering free installation.

And EDF is now offering free insulation, as part of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) programme that replaces CERT, to households receiving income-related benefits.

You might not qualify if…

There are some further exceptions to the rules.

 Firstly, in terms of loft insulation, you’re unlikely to qualify if:

• You already have more than 60mm thick loft insulation
• The company cannot insulate two-thirds of the loft space
• The installation requires additional equipment – in this case, you can still have it done, but you’ll have to pay something towards the installation
• You have a large (five-bedroom plus) or unusual property
• You live in the far north and islands of Scotland

And you may be ineligible for cavity wall insulation if:

• You have pre-existing cavity wall insulation
• The company cannot insulate at least two-thirds of the wall’s cavities
• The installation requires additional equipment – in this case, you can still have it done, but you’ll have to pay something towards the installation
• You have a large (five-bedroom plus) or unusual property
• You live in the far north and islands of Scotland

However, this does vary from company to company so check before you rule anything in or out.

Help for low-income households

In addition to help with cavity wall and loft insulation, there are schemes around the UK to help you with other aspects of heating and insulation:

• In England, there’s Warm Front
• In Wales there’s Nest (not to be confused with the workplace pension scheme)
• In Scotland there’s the Energy Assistance Package
• In Northern Ireland, there’s the Warm Homes scheme

You can read more on all of these in Don't miss out on free insulation and heating schemes

Local authority grants

Many local authorities also have grants available to local residents to help them pay for energy efficient measures. The Energy Saving Trust website has a grants and discounts section, as does Consumer Focus.

Don’t qualify? You can still save on insulation

If you don’t qualify for free insulation for whatever reason, you can still get discounted installation with all of the major energy companies, and others such as Sainsbury’s Energy. Shop around to get the cheapest installation price – it may not be with an energy company. Whatever road you go down, make sure whoever’s installing it is a member of either:

• The National Insulation Association (NIA)
• The Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA)
• The British Board of Agrément (BBA) 

Remember to also check that:

• Your installer is signed up to a code of professional practice like the one provided by the NIA
• The cavity wall installation is guaranteed for 25 years by CIGA

This article has been updated

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