Heating Grants Derby: Warm Homes Grant and Heat Pumps

Unlike Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton, Derby takes part in the national Warm Homes: Local Grant. The council secured £1.6m over three years and appointed YES Energy Solutions, a not-for-profit, to deliver it.

Derby at a glance

How homes are heated: 81.3% of Derby households heat with mains gas only and 7.1% with electricity only. Just 36 homes use oil only and 236 are on a communal or district heat network. Source
Tenure: 59.0% of Derby households own their home. 21.3% rent privately and 18.8% rent from a social landlord. Source
Local grant: Derby City Council secured £1.6m from the Warm Homes: Local Grant over three years for low-income, privately owned homes rated EPC D to G, with up to £30,000 per property. YES Energy Solutions delivers it; eight homes were retrofitted in year one and 120 more are planned over the next two years. Source
Energy advice: Derby City Council's Home Energy Advice Service supported more than 300 households in a year, working with National Energy Action and other charities. Source
Energy ratings: About 54% of homes with an EPC in Derby are rated band D or below (median score 67, band D), against 47% across England. Based on certificates lodged in the 10 years to March 2025. Source

Warm Homes: Local Grant

It funds free improvements for low-income households in privately owned homes rated EPC D to G. Measures include insulation, more efficient heating and renewables such as solar panels, with up to £30,000 per property.

Eight homes were retrofitted in the first year, with 120 more planned over the next two. If you're contacted about the scheme, ECO4 or GBIS by a company you don't know, the council advises checking with YES Energy Solutions first.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Anyone in Derby can get £7,500 towards an air source heat pump from an MCS certified installer, with no income test. Off-gas homes heated by oil or LPG get £9,000 until March 2027. The rules are set out in our Boiler Upgrade Scheme guide.

Free energy advice

The council's Home Energy Advice Service supported more than 300 households in a year. Draught proofing alone saved residents over £15,000 a year between them. It's a good first call if you're not sure what you qualify for.

Avoid grant scams

Genuine schemes don't charge a fee to check eligibility or to secure funding. If someone calls or knocks offering a free boiler for an upfront payment, refuse and report it to trading standards.

The council says residents should do their own checks before approving any work under ECO4.

Derby homes and what they need

Victorian terraces near the centre

Solid-walled terraces often rate EPC E or F, so they fall within the grant's range. Wall insulation may be offered.

Suburban semis from the 1930s to the 1960s

Semis with unfilled cavities or thin loft insulation are often rated D and can qualify if household income is low.

Areas covered

Engineers who cover Derby work across areas including Allestree, Darley Abbey, Mickleover, Littleover, Chaddesden, Normanton, Alvaston, Oakwood, Spondon and Chellaston.

View Derby on Google Maps

Questions people in Derby ask

Do I need an EPC?

Yes. Look yours up on GOV.UK. If you don't have one, ask YES Energy Solutions how they handle assessments.

Is ECO4 still open?

Ofgem says ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026, but supplier funding is limited. Check before relying on it.

Can landlords use the Warm Homes grant?

The council describes the grant as for privately owned homes. Landlords should ask YES Energy Solutions about eligibility and any contribution required.

What if my home is rated C?

The Warm Homes: Local Grant only covers EPC D to G. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has no EPC band limit, but the home still needs a valid EPC.

Sources

Also nearby: Heating grants in Nottingham, Heating grants in Leicester, Heating grants in Sheffield, Heating grants in Stoke-on-Trent

All heating grants locations →