Scottish homeowners in 2026 have three main routes to help with windows and wider home improvements: Home Energy Scotland's government-backed advice, grants and interest-free loans; Warmer Homes Scotland for qualifying lower-income households; and the privately funded Help 2 Buy Windows grant and funding options. Several older schemes you may have read about, including the Green Homes Grant, the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive and the HEEPS equity loan, have closed.
This guide covers what is actually available now, who each scheme is for, and which schemes have shut so you do not waste time applying to them.
1. Home Energy Scotland: advice, grants and interest-free loans
Home Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by the Energy Saving Trust through a network of local advice centres covering the whole of Scotland. It remains the best first port of call for impartial help, and its support is genuinely free to access.
Through Home Energy Scotland you can get:
- free advice on making your home warmer and more energy efficient;
- grants and interest-free loans towards energy efficiency improvements such as insulation, heating upgrades and, in some packages, glazing;
- funding support for home renewables such as heat pumps and solar, plus energy storage;
- guidance on cutting your energy bills and accessing any other financial support you qualify for.
Funding has historically stretched to around £38,500 per home across energy efficiency measures and renewables combined, with individual caps per measure (glazing and insulated doors have typically sat in the low thousands per home). The exact amounts, cashback elements and eligible measures are reviewed regularly, so treat published figures as a guide and confirm the current offer directly with Home Energy Scotland before you plan work around a number.
Homeowners across Scotland can apply, and self-builders may qualify for renewables support. Landlords, businesses and property developers are generally excluded, and you will usually need an installer's quote to support an application.
2. Warmer Homes Scotland: for households struggling with heating costs
Warmer Homes Scotland is the Scottish Government's scheme for households that are struggling to heat their home and stay on top of energy bills. It is still live in 2026 and remains the most generous route for those who qualify: in most cases the Scottish Government funds 100% of the work, though a contribution can be requested for more expensive measures such as solid wall insulation.
The support you are offered follows a survey of your property and can include a combination of:
- wall, loft and other insulation;
- draught-proofing;
- central heating improvements;
- renewable heating technologies;
- and, where the survey supports it, glazing improvements.
Broadly, you need to be a homeowner or the tenant of a private landlord, live in the property as your main residence, and live in an energy-inefficient home. Someone in the household will usually need to meet a priority condition, for example being of pension age, being pregnant or having young children while receiving a qualifying benefit, having a disability, being a carer, or having been injured serving in the Armed Forces. Qualifying benefits include the guarantee element of Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Council Tax Reduction, Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment, and several others.
The precise criteria are set by the Scottish Government and change over time, so check the current rules on mygov.scot or through Home Energy Scotland before applying.
3. The Help 2 Buy Windows grant and funding options
If you do not meet the criteria for Warmer Homes Scotland, and most working homeowners will not, the main dedicated help with windows and doors in Scotland is private rather than governmental.
Your home may qualify for new windows and doors through the Help 2 Buy window grant scheme, which is open to homeowners across the UK, including Scotland. To be clear about what it is: The Help 2 Buy Windows grant has nothing to do with the UK government; it is funded 100% by Help 2 Buy Windows through the sale of leads to our clients.
The scheme was created to help those in need improve their home's energy efficiency, and installing modern double glazed windows and doors can cut energy bills significantly. If you are accepted, the grant covers the windows and doors themselves and the installation, with no contribution from your own money or savings, and you can choose styles and colours to suit your property. Grants are awarded subject to qualifying criteria and the funding available; our guide on how to qualify for free windows and doors explains the assessment in detail.
Your case is stronger if your windows and doors are five years old or older, damaged, draughty or showing condensation between the panes. You need to own your home and be employed, self-employed or retired to be considered.
Could you qualify for funding towards new windows and doors? Homeowners in Scotland with windows five years old or older can check in under 60 seconds. Launch the funding checker.
Window and door funding
If you do not qualify for the grant itself, funding options are available through UK-based installation companies working alongside the Help 2 Buy Windows scheme. These let you spread the cost of new windows and doors over a manageable period with no large upfront payment. Eligibility is assessed case by case, and if borrowing is on your radar it is worth reading our honest guide to home improvement loans for double glazing first.
Schemes that have closed
A lot of pages online, including older versions of this one, still describe schemes that no longer exist. Here is the current position so you do not chase dead ends.
| Scheme | Status in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Green Homes Grant | Closed to new applications on 31 March 2021, and it was only ever available in England. See our Green Homes Grant guide for what replaced it. |
| Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) | Closed to new applicants on 31 March 2022. Existing recipients continue to receive their seven years of payments. In England and Wales it was replaced by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme; in Scotland, renewable heating support now runs through Home Energy Scotland grants and loans. |
| HEEPS equity loan | A pilot limited to certain council areas (including Glasgow City, Dundee, Stirling and the Western Isles); no longer open to new applications. |
| Green Deal | Ended as a government scheme in 2015. A privately run successor existed for a time, but it is no longer a mainstream route and rates were markedly higher than the original. |
If you see a website promising any of these as live grants, treat it with caution. Criteria and funding change, and reputable schemes will always tell you their current status plainly.
Where to get further advice about reducing your energy bills
Contact Home Energy Scotland, which covers all of Scotland through its local advice centres. Advisers can talk you through making your home warmer, reducing energy bills, home renewables, and the financial support currently available, including grants and interest-free loans. For windows and doors specifically, checking your eligibility for the Help 2 Buy Windows grant takes under a minute and costs nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Are there government grants for windows in Scotland?
There is no dedicated Scottish Government window grant. Warmer Homes Scotland can include glazing improvements as part of a wider package for qualifying lower-income households, and Home Energy Scotland offers grants and interest-free loans that can cover energy efficiency work. For most homeowners who do not meet those criteria, the private Help 2 Buy Windows grant and funding options are the main route to help with windows and doors.
Is the Home Energy Scotland loan still available?
Yes. Home Energy Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by the Energy Saving Trust, still offers grants and interest-free loans for energy efficiency improvements and home renewables. The amounts and eligible measures are reviewed regularly, so check the current offer with Home Energy Scotland before planning work around a specific figure.
What happened to the HEEPS equity loan?
The HEEPS equity loan was a pilot programme available in a limited number of council areas, and it is no longer open to new applications. Existing loans continue on their original terms. Homeowners who would have used it are now generally directed to Home Energy Scotland for advice on current grants and loans.
Can I still apply for the Green Homes Grant in Scotland?
No. The Green Homes Grant closed to new applications on 31 March 2021, and it was only ever available to households in England in any case. Scotland has its own support through Home Energy Scotland and Warmer Homes Scotland, and Scottish homeowners can also apply for the Help 2 Buy Windows grant, which is not a government scheme.
How do I qualify for Warmer Homes Scotland?
Broadly, you need to be a homeowner or private tenant living in an energy-inefficient property as your main home, and someone in the household usually needs to receive a qualifying benefit, be of pension age, have a disability or meet another priority condition. The full criteria are set by the Scottish Government and change over time, so check the current rules on mygov.scot or through Home Energy Scotland before applying.