UK Home Energy Bill Support & Policy News 2026
Clear, up-to-date guidance on UK help with home gas and electricity bills in 2026 – and how to cut your costs.
Home energy bills in 2026: what is changing?
UK households are still feeling the impact of higher gas and electricity prices. In 2026, government schemes, Ofgem rules and supplier offers continue to evolve. This page pulls together the latest domestic energy bill support and policy changes, in one place.
We focus only on home energy (not business tariffs), explaining what support is available, who can qualify, and how to take practical steps to reduce your monthly bills. As policies change, this guide is updated so you can make confident decisions about your household energy.
At-a-glance: key themes for 2026
- • Ofgem price cap reviews continue through 2026
- • Protection for vulnerable and low-income households
- • Bigger push on insulation and heat pump grants
- • Smart meters and home energy data in sharper focus
- • Net zero targets still shaping home energy policy
Find out what help you could get with your home energy bills
Answer a few quick questions and we can help you understand which UK home energy support schemes and efficiency upgrades you may be able to access.
What we look at for you
- • Your eligibility for UK government home energy schemes
- • Grants and funding for insulation and low-carbon heating
- • Ways to reduce your gas and electricity usage
- • Support available if you are struggling to pay
- • Simple steps to make your home warmer and cheaper to run
Our aim is to help you understand the options quickly so you can plan your next move with confidence in 2026 and beyond.
Ofgem price cap updates and home tariff changes in 2026
The Ofgem energy price cap continues to be one of the main tools affecting what most UK households pay for standard variable tariffs. In 2026, the cap is still reviewed regularly, reflecting wholesale energy costs, network charges and policy costs.
While the price cap is not a discount or grant, it does:
- Limit the unit rate and standing charge suppliers can charge on default tariffs
- Help protect customers who have not switched to a fixed deal
- Offer some stability against sharp spikes in wholesale energy prices
However, your actual bill depends on how much energy you use. Improving your home’s efficiency, monitoring your usage and finding the right tariff for your needs are still key to controlling costs in 2026.
Fixed, variable and smart tariffs
Suppliers are gradually re-introducing a wider choice of tariffs as markets stabilise. These may include:
- Fixed tariffs – lock in a unit rate for 12–24 months, useful if you want predictable bills.
- Standard variable tariffs – still protected by the Ofgem price cap, but can move up or down with the cap.
- Smart / time-of-use tariffs – offer cheaper electricity at off-peak times if you have a smart meter, ideal if you can shift usage (e.g. EV charging, washing machines).
If you are on a standard variable tariff in 2026, it is worth regularly checking if a new fixed or smart tariff could suit your home, particularly if you use a lot of electricity or have electric heating.
Quick tip: understand your kWh
The Ofgem price cap works on unit rates (p/kWh). To see if you could save:
- Check your latest bill for annual kWh use.
- Compare unit rates and standing charges across tariffs.
- Factor in any exit fees before switching.
Home energy bill support schemes available in 2026
The UK government continues to target support at lower-income and vulnerable households, as well as backing long-term efficiency upgrades. Availability can differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and specific qualifying criteria apply.
Warm Home Discount (WHD)
The Warm Home Discount scheme offers a one-off rebate on electricity bills each winter for eligible households. In 2026, WHD is expected to remain focused on:
- Pensioners receiving the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- Households on certain means-tested benefits with higher energy costs
- Customers with participating electricity suppliers
If you qualify, the rebate is usually applied automatically to your bill or paid as a credit to your prepayment meter, but you may still need to check and confirm with your supplier.
Cost of living and hardship help
Additional one-off cost of living payments and hardship funds may be available for those struggling with home energy bills in 2026, including:
- Energy supplier hardship funds for customers in debt
- Local council schemes under the Household Support Fund or similar programmes
- Charity grants for vulnerable households
Support can change quickly, so if you are behind on bills, contact your supplier early and speak to your local council or advice services to see what is currently open.
Priority Services Register (PSR)
The Priority Services Register is free and helps protect vulnerable customers, including those who are elderly, disabled, have long-term medical conditions or young children. In 2026, PSR support can include:
- Advance notice of planned power cuts
- Priority support in an emergency
- Accessible formats for bills and communications
- Nominee schemes so a trusted person can manage your account
You can ask your supplier or network operator to add you to the PSR if you think you or someone in your household qualifies.
Are you missing out on help?
Many eligible households never claim the support available to them. You may qualify if you:
- Receive Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits
- Have a long-term health condition at home
- Use medical equipment that relies on electricity
- Have a low household income and high energy costs
- Live in a hard-to-heat home with little insulation
Energy efficiency and home upgrade schemes in 2026
Short-term discounts help, but the biggest bill savings usually come from a more efficient home. In 2026, several schemes continue to support insulation, low-carbon heating and energy-saving improvements.
ECO4 and related schemes
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme focuses mainly on low-income and vulnerable households in England, Scotland and Wales. It can help fund measures such as:
- Loft insulation and cavity wall insulation
- Solid wall insulation in some properties
- Boiler upgrades and heating controls
- Renewable heating measures where suitable
Eligibility typically depends on income, benefits, property type and current efficiency. Installations are usually arranged through approved installers funded by obligated energy suppliers.
Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
The Great British Insulation Scheme, which runs alongside ECO4, aims to help more households access basic insulation upgrades. It is particularly aimed at homes with poor energy performance and higher-than-average energy usage.
If your property has a low EPC rating and qualifies, you may be able to get support for measures such as loft or cavity wall insulation, which can significantly cut your heating bills year after year.
Heat pump and low-carbon heating grants
To support the transition away from fossil fuels, grants towards air source and ground source heat pumps and other low-carbon systems remain available in 2026 through schemes operating across the UK (such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales, and equivalent programmes in Scotland and Northern Ireland).
These grants can:
- Reduce the upfront cost of installing a heat pump
- Help cut long-term carbon emissions
- Work particularly well in well-insulated homes with low temperature heating systems
However, a heat pump is not right for every property. A proper survey and design, plus improvements to insulation, are essential steps before you commit.
Typical bill savings from upgrades
- Loft insulation: Can save hundreds of pounds a year in a poorly insulated home.
- Cavity wall insulation: Reduces heat loss through external walls significantly.
- Smart heating controls: Let you heat the rooms you need, when you need them.
- Efficient heating system: Uses less fuel for the same comfort level.
Not sure which scheme fits your home?
Different grants work for different types of property. Get a quick view of which schemes might match your home in 2026.
See upgrade options for your homeSmart meters, data and home energy management in 2026
The UK’s smart meter rollout continues into 2026. Having a smart meter can make it easier to:
- Track your real-time gas and electricity usage
- Receive accurate, rather than estimated, bills
- Access new time-of-use and flexible tariffs
- Understand which appliances use the most energy
Suppliers are also using smart meter data to design personalised energy efficiency advice and to support customers on lower incomes more effectively.
Smart home technology and battery storage
In some homes, particularly those with solar panels, home battery storage and smart controls are becoming more common. In 2026, a growing number of tariffs reward households for:
- Using energy at off-peak times
- Exporting surplus solar power back to the grid
- Joining virtual power plants or flexibility services
While not every household can invest in these technologies, policies in 2026 continue to encourage smarter, more flexible home energy use to keep the grid stable and support net zero targets.
Low-cost ways to use less energy
- Turn your thermostat down by 1°C if it’s safe to do so.
- Use draught excluders and seal gaps around doors and windows.
- Wash clothes at lower temperatures and full loads.
- Switch appliances off fully rather than leaving them on standby.
- Use your boiler and heating controls efficiently, with set schedules.
Struggling with your home energy bills in 2026?
If you are worried about gas or electricity costs, you are not alone. The most important step is to act early. There is often more support available than people realise, from payment plans and debt relief to grants for making your home warmer and more efficient.
Share a few details about your situation and we will help you understand the options, so you can plan your next steps with clarity.
Key questions about UK home energy support in 2026
Eligibility usually depends on a mix of factors such as your income, benefits, household size, property type, EPC rating and heating system. Each scheme has its own rules, and these vary across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Use our quick support checker above to share a few details and we will highlight the most relevant schemes for your home, so you don’t have to search through every set of rules yourself.
Yes. Many schemes, such as the Warm Home Discount, are available to prepayment customers as well as those who pay by direct debit. Support may be added as a credit or voucher for your meter.
If you find yourself regularly self-disconnecting because you cannot afford to top up, contact your supplier as soon as possible. They may be able to arrange emergency credit, friendly-hours credit and payment plans, or point you towards additional financial support.
No one can guarantee what will happen to bills, because they depend on wholesale energy prices, network costs and policy decisions. Ofgem’s price cap updates will continue to respond to these factors throughout 2026.
What you can control is how much energy your home uses. Improving insulation, using heating controls effectively, considering efficiency upgrades and choosing the right tariff for your usage will all help protect you from future price changes.
UK home energy policy in 2026 is shaped by long-term net zero commitments. Domestic heating and electricity use account for a significant share of UK emissions, so encouraging insulation, heat pumps, smart controls and low-carbon electricity is essential.
As a homeowner or tenant, this means you will see more incentives and schemes designed to make your property more efficient and less carbon intensive over the coming years, alongside continued protections for vulnerable households.
Stay ahead of UK home energy changes
Energy policy moves quickly. By keeping an eye on bill support schemes, Ofgem announcements and efficiency grants, you can make timely decisions for your household.
We monitor the latest UK home energy bill support and policy news throughout 2026 so you do not have to.
Get your personalised 2026 energy summaryPopular pages:
Back to Energy News