Energy Grants in Hull

Energy Grants & Fuel Poverty in Hull

Hull — officially Kingston upon Hull — faces a distinctive combination of fuel poverty and flood risk that no other English city shares to the same degree. The city sits almost entirely below sea level, protected by the Humber Barrier and a network of pumping stations, and the devastating floods of 2007 (which damaged 8,600 homes) remain a defining civic memory. Today, 17.6% of Hull's households live in fuel poverty, concentrated in the terraced streets of the old fishing quarter around Hessle Road and the inner-city wards of East Hull. The city's housing stock reflects its maritime and industrial heritage: compact red brick terraces built between 1880 and 1920 to house trawler crews and dock workers.

Hull is the only major English city sitting almost entirely below sea level, making its combined flood resilience and energy efficiency programme unique in the UK.

How ECO4 Works in Hull

Hull's unique approach combines energy efficiency and flood resilience in a single programme. After the 2007 floods, the council recognised that properties being repaired after water damage presented an ideal opportunity for energy upgrades — if walls are being re-plastered after flood damage, adding internal wall insulation is relatively straightforward. This insight has evolved into a permanent strategy: Hull's flood resilience team and energy efficiency team now work in tandem, and properties identified as flood-risk in the council's Strategic Flood Risk Assessment are automatically referred for ECO4 assessment. Humber and Wolds Energy Action (HWEA), the local energy advice charity, manages referrals and coordinates between the two programmes, ensuring that flood-risk properties receive both flood doors/barriers and insulation measures in a single intervention.

Available Grants in Hull

Residents in the Kingston upon Hull City Council area can access several government-funded energy efficiency schemes:

ECO4 Scheme

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) provides 100% free energy improvements to households receiving qualifying benefits. Measures include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, boiler replacements, solar panels, and air source heat pumps. Your property needs an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G. In Hull, 3,890 ECO4 measures have been installed to date, with External wall insulation (31%) being the most common.

Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)

The GBIS provides free or heavily subsidised insulation to properties in council tax bands A-D (England). No means test is required — eligibility is based on your property, not your income.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers £7,500 towards an air source heat pump or £5,000 towards a ground source heat pump. Available to all homeowners in England and Wales with a valid EPC certificate.

Warm Home Discount

A £150 discount on your electricity bill each winter. Most eligible households receive this automatically.

Local Energy Efficiency in Hull

The Hessle Road fishing community represents both Hull's proudest heritage and its most acute fuel poverty challenge. The terraced streets radiating from Hessle Road — Boulevard, Coltman Street, Bean Street — were built for fishing families and remain among the most deprived in the city. Average household incomes are well below the LA Flex threshold, and ECO4 eligibility rates approach 70% in some streets. The council's targeted programme in this area has delivered over 1,200 ECO4 measures since 2022, including external wall insulation that has transformed the appearance of entire streets. Local artist Gibb Sheridan's fish-themed murals on newly insulated end-terrace walls have become a symbol of the community's renewal — combining heritage celebration with energy improvement.

EPC Ratings in Hull

Based on analysis of 98,600 EPC certificates in the Kingston upon Hull City Council area:

58% of assessed properties in Hull have an EPC rating of D or below — well above the national average, indicating significant scope for energy improvements. The area's fuel poverty rate of 17.6% affects approximately 21,200 households, significantly above the national average of 13.1%.

Housing Stock Profile

The Hull area has 120,400 households. The most common construction type is Red brick terraces (1880-1920, trawling community housing), with an average build year of 1932.

Type	Share
Terraced	42%
Semi-detached	26%
Flat	16%
Detached	8%
Bungalow	8%

Most Common ECO4 Measures in Hull

Based on 3,890 installations to date:

• External wall insulation
• Cavity wall insulation
• Loft insulation
• Flood-resilient insulation

Average annual energy bill saving after ECO4 improvements: £690

LA Flex Eligibility — Hull

Even if you don't receive qualifying benefits, you may still qualify for ECO4 through the Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex) route.

Local Installers in Hull

There are 19 TrustMark-registered installers and 6 MCS-certified renewable energy installers serving the Hull area. All ECO4 work must be carried out by TrustMark-registered contractors working to PAS 2030/2035 quality standards.

Key areas served: Hessle Road, East Hull, Bransholme, Orchard Park, Newington

Hull Energy Strategy

Hull's Carbon Neutral City Framework includes a major retrofit programme linked to the city's flood resilience strategy. £12m secured through SHDF and HUG2.

How to Apply in Hull

1. Check your eligibility — Enter your postcode above or use our eligibility checker
2. Get matched with local installers — We'll connect you with TrustMark-registered, PAS 2030/2035-certified installers in Hull
3. Free home survey — An assessor visits to evaluate your property and recommend measures
4. Installation — Approved contractors carry out the work at no cost, usually within 4-8 weeks

You can also contact Kingston upon Hull City Council directly: https://www.hull.gov.uk/housing/energy-efficiency or call 01482 300300.

Frequently Asked Questions — Hull