An uninsulated home loses around 25% of its heat through the loft. By insulating your loft space, you will be increasing the energy efficiency of your home – allowing you to enjoy cost savings through reduced energy bills, as well as decreasing your carbon footprint. Many homeowners will be eligible to receive loft insulation grants – covering installation costs and allowing you to enjoy the benefits.
How does loft insulation work?
Loft insulation increases the energy efficiency of your home by trapping the heat that would otherwise escape through your roof.
There are four different types of loft insulation:
- Matting. Used as standard to insulate an empty loft, it is sold in rolls of varying thicknesses. The most common material is mineral wool.
- Loose-fill. Used in loft spaces with awkward angles or obstructions, it is sold in bags and poured between joists.
- Blown insulation. Used for lofts with difficult access, loose insulation material is literally blown into the space using specialist equipment.
- Rigid insulation boards. Useful where space is limited and thick insulation is not possible, it is made from foamed plastic which will need to be cut to size.
What are the benefits?
By installing loft insulation, you will enjoy a reduction in your energy bills of up to £180 per year, based on an average gas heated, three bedroomed semi-detached home with 270mm of insulation. As well as benefiting your pocket, it will also reduce your environmental impact via savings of around 730kg of carbon dioxide savings per year.
By insulating your loft, your home will be more comfortable as it efficiently retains heat in the winter, and stays cool during warm summers.
Is my property suited to loft insulation?
Not all properties will be able to have loft insulation. You should look for:
- Ease of access. If it’s easy to get into your loft, you could install insulation yourself. Difficult spaces can be insulated by a professionalusing specialist equipment.
- The regularity of your joists. If they are regular, then you can simply use rolls of mineral wool insulation. Irregular joists may require loose-fill insulation.
- How you use your loft space. If it is used as storage or a living space, you can lay boards on top of the insulation. However, you must be careful not to compress the material, as this will reduce its effectiveness.
How do you qualify for loft insulation grants?
A range of loft insulation grants are available to homeowners. If you fulfil the eligibility criteria, you may be entitled to a grant covering the full cost of your loft insulation under the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) Scheme. This funding comes from the big six energy suppliers, and is non-repayable.
If you are receiving State Pension Credit or Child Tax Credit (with an annual income of £15,860 or less), you will be able to receive loft insulation grants. Other benefits may also apply, as long as you fulfil at least one of the additional requirements. These include:
| Benefit Type | Additional Requirements (one or more) |
|---|---|
| Income Related Employment and Support Allowance | Child under 16 years Child under 20 years in full time education Child Tax Credit including a disability element Disability Premium Disabled Child Premium Work Related Activity or Support Component |
| Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance | Child under 16 years Child under 20 years in full time education Child Tax Credit including a disability element Disability Premium Disabled Child Premium Pension Premium |
| Working Tax Credit (with less than £15,860 annual income) | Child under 16 years Child under 20 years in full time education Disabled element 60 years or over |
If you are not eligible for loft insulation grants, you may be able to take advantage of the Green Deal. Under the Green Deal, the energy efficiency of your home will be assessed. If you are subsequently advised to get loft insulation, this will be funded up-front, while you repay the loan over a period of time via the savings you make in your energy bills.