Warm Homes: Home Energy Advice Services launch

The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is preparing to introduce the Home Energy Advice Service in Autumn this year. DESNZ will be running a webinar to go through the new services and provide an opportunity for questions with Grant Recipients on 19 October 2026.

The Home Energy Advice Service is a new Government Service designed to help households access tailored energy advice, identify support they may be eligible for and apply for government-backed schemes such as Warm Homes: Local Grant. 

Alongside this a household income eligibility checker, the Income Verification Tool, will also be launched. The Income Verification Tool is a digital service designed to verify household income eligibility using secure data from government departments and trusted credit reference agencies. The income verification tool will aim to reduce some of the need for manual income checks, supporting reduced administrative burden for Grant Recipients and a more streamlined process for both applicants and Local Authorities.

What does the Income Verification Tool check? 

Using information provided by applicants and data available through secure verification routes, the IVT can assess whether a household:

• has a household income below the Warm Homes: Local Grant income threshold;
• is in receipt of an eligible means-tested benefit;
• includes a household member who is in receipt of an eligible benefit; or meets another eligibility route supported by the scheme.

Where there is insufficient information to confirm income eligibility automatically, a Local Authority may receive an undetermined outcome. In these instances, Local Authorities can undertake additional checks using their existing local verification processes and evidence requirements

Referral Management

After launch, the Warm Homes Grant Recipient Portal will be the single point of access for all referrals, replacing the existing standalone referral portal. 

The GRP will enable Local Authorities to:

• view and manage referrals;
• update referral statuses & unsuccessful application reasons;
• download referral information for local processing and reporting;
• report and monitor referral SLA performance; and
• manage referrals alongside wider Warm Homes delivery activity within a single platform. 

Supporting these services, an enhanced Helpline will replace the existing Phoneline service supporting consumers who are digitally excluded or require assisted digital support. 

Webinar for WH:LG Grant Recipients

To help Grant Recipients prepare for these changes, DESNZ will host a webinar on the 19 October 2026. The session will provide an overview of the service, explain how referrals will be managed through the Grant Recipient Portal and give Local Authorities an opportunity to ask the DESNZ team any questions. 

Further details, including joining instructions, will be shared directly with Grant Recipients.