Free Insulation Loft & cavity wall worth £300 for free, but go quick

Cavity wall and loft insulation can slice about £300 off energy bills each year, while energy firms are offering serious freebies as part of energy efficiency obligations to those in certain groups.

This is a rundown of all the current offers, how to apply and everything you need to know about how it works.

Also see Green Deal Mythbuster, Home & Energy Grants & Cheap Gas & Elec

How much will you save?

Cavity wall insulation works by filling the space between the two layers of external walls, keeping in the warmth and lowering energy bills. The Energy Saving Trust estimates cavity wall insulation will save an average three-bedroom home up to £140/year.

Loft insulation works in the same way as cavity wall, but is even more effective as heat rises. Properly-fitted loft insulation can save £180 per year, as about a quarter of your heat is lost via the roof.

Why do they do it?

Big energy providers have Energy Company Obligations. These replaced the Carbon Emission Reduction Targets at the end of 2012, but the principle is the same. Energy companies must pump money into making homes more efficient, especially for 'tough to reach' groups.

If they miss targets, they get big fines. So they're desperately pushing cash out there - these new obligations are tied closely into a new Government initiative - the Green Deal. For more info about both, see our Green Deal Mythbuster guide.

Is your house suitable?

Here are the current best offers. You may be eligible for more than one offer. It's worth checking as you may want to go with your own supplier or check for extra cash.

Not all properties are suitable for cavity wall or loft insulation. Most providers conduct a free survey. If you've damp problems, the Energy Saving Trust says sort those out first.

Usually you won't be able to get insulation if:

• You live in a housing association property or are a council tenant.
• You live in a flat and can't co-ordinate with all other tenants.
• You already have insulation.
• Your home is timber or metal-framed, or made from natural stone or concrete.

It's also worth noting that you may need to pay extra for scaffolding to get the insulation fitted. These costs aren't included in most of the offers.

Over 70 or get benefits? Free insulation

Some suppliers give even more if you're on certain benefits, or over 70.

Free insulation plus £50 cash for some£50 cash if you refer someone for free installation

• What: Free cavity wall and loft insulation though a new offer will be going live on Wednesday 13 March. We'll update you here then
• Who: Anyone on certain benefits can get free installation and £50, anyone at all can get a £50 referral fee.
• Deadline: Ongoing
• How to apply: Check suitability on the British Gas website, then call 0800 975 1195.

Go

Free £50 cash if you refer friends & family: British Gas is offering an extra £50 cash to anyone who refers an elderly or vulnerable person on qualifying benefits to get free insulation. Plus the household installing the insulation also gets £50. See a full list of qualifying benefits.

Neither of you have to be British Gas customers, and you can refer as many people as you like to get £50 each time. To get the cash, the person needing the insulation must call 0800 975 1195. They should include the name and address of the referrer so their cash can be sent to them.

The cash will be paid by cheque 30 days after the installation has been completed. Though bear in mind that the installation process can take some time.

Anything else? Free insulation is subject to limits on coverage depending on the type of property. Work beyond these limits will be chargeable.

You can only get it if British Gas can insulate a minimum of two-thirds of the available loft space (when applied to the whole loft surface area) or available cavity wall space (when applied to the whole house).

For loft insulation, the offer only applies where the thickness of existing insulation is less than 60mm. Not all homes are suitable for loft and/or cavity wall insulation. The offer excludes the cost of scaffolding, vents and any specialist equipment if they're needed.

Free cavity wall & loft insulation Available to some on benefits - not just Edf customers

• What: Free cavity wall and loft insulation
• Who: Everyone, if your home's suitable AND you receive certain income-related benefits, even non-customers.
• Deadline: Ongoing, no limit on the number of free installations.
• How to apply: Check suitability on Edf site, then apply online or call 0800 096 9966.

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Anything else? The offer is not available for housing association homes, council tenants or flats/maisonettes. Free loft insulation is only available where there is less than 60mm existing insulation.

Free cavity wall & loft insulation Available to some on benefits - not just Eon customers

• What: Free cavity wall and loft insulation
• Who: Everyone, if your home's suitable AND you receive certain income-related benefits, even non-customers.
• Deadline: Ongoing, no limit on the number of free installations.
• How to apply: Check suitability on Eon

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Anything else? This offer is available if you own your own home, or rent from a private landlord. You will need permission from your landlord if you are a tenant. 

Free cavity wall & loft insulation Available to some on benefits - not just SSE customers

• What: Free insulation, boiler upgrades/replacements or other heating measures
• Who: Everyone, if your home's suitable AND you receive certain income-related benefits, even non-customers.
• Deadline: Ongoing, no limit on the number of free installations.
• How to apply: Check suitability on the following sites Swalec, Southern Electric, Hydro, SSE

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Anything else? The offer is not available for housing association homes, council tenants or flats/maisonettes. Free loft insulation is only available where there is less than 60mm existing insulation.

Free cavity wall AND loft insulation Available to some on benefits - you don't need to be a Scottish Power customer

• What: Free cavity wall and loft insulation.
• Who: Anyone on certain benefits
• Deadline: Ongoing
• How to apply: Check suitability and apply on the Scottish Power website or call 0845 601 7836.

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Anything else? This offer is only open to people who reside in mainland Great Britain and it can't be used in conjunction with any other offer. See the full terms and conditions.

Northern Ireland options

The offers above aren't available if you live in Northern Ireland. However, there may be some individual schemes offering free insulation. Give the Energy Saving Trust's helpline a call on 0300 123 1234 to see what's available for you.

Questions and answers

Not answered your question? Ask it in the forum discussion and we'll add generic ones here.

The eight energy bill-cutting rules

It's not just about doing a comparison. Who you use and how you pay can cut your bills substantially. Here are the eight key rules:

• Grab £1,000s of grants to insulate your home
  
  Properly insulating your home can save around £200/year. There's a vast range of grants available for improving home heating and insulation. The best place to start is the Energy Saving Trust (EST). It has an advice and information helpline on 0300 123 1234. For more grants available for all types of home improvement, see the full Grant Grabbing guide.
• Don't assume dual fuel is always cheapest
  
  Logically, dual fuel (gas and electricity from the same supplier) should be cheaper and it often is, yet not always.
  
  During your comparison, also compare the cost of the cheapest dual fuel supplier with separate cheap gas and cheap electricity suppliers.
• Do switch to monthly direct debit
  
  Fixed monthly direct debit payments, where you pay a fixed estimate each month, save you 5-10%, as companies are sure you won't default and they earn interest on any overpayments. These should be refunded at the end of the year.
• Do a meter reading every time
  
  Every time you receive a bill, do a meter reading. Don't rely on your energy provider's estimate; these are often way out. If they're under-billing, you'll have a big whack to pay at the end of the year. If they're over-billing, then they've unfairly got your cash.
  
  If your direct debit is way off-kilter, call up and request it's changed. You have a range of rights to ensure it's correct. See the full Energy Direct Debits guide for template letters to help.
• Do switch to your company's internet tariff
  
  It'll usually save you up to 10% over the standard tariff, and all it really means is you get your bills emailed.
• Avoid pre-payment meters if you can
  
  While a push from the Government means it's getting better, those on pre-payment meters are still pretty hard done by, certainly compared to those who pay by direct debit. If possible you should try to switch to a billed meter. You may have to pay to get one, but the savings are usually worth it.
  
  Often they won't let you though, due to credit score or income difficulties. For full info on how to ditch a prepayment meter for a credit meter, or if you can't, save on a prepay meter, see the full Cheap Prepaid Gas & Elec guide.
• Consider a financial hardship tariff
  
  If you're in financial trouble, some companies offer special cheaper tariffs, which can help. However you can't assume these will be the cheapest. As you're online (or you wouldn't be reading this), it's possible the cheapest web tariff will beat many hardship deals.
• Use less energy
  
  It's not just which company you pay, but how much you use. Cutting energy is a mix of big and little things.
  
  Turn down the thermostat and wear jumpers, turn lights off when you leave a room, use energy saving lightbulbs, defrost the fridge and check it's not on too high, don't leave electrical goods on standby.
  
  For more info, read the Energy Saving Hunt, see the Energy Saving Trust website and see our Energy Myth-busting and Green Deal Mythbusting guides.