Commercial insulation and small business grants

Business Energy Scotland

The most widely available funding for small and medium businesses in Scotland. SME loans up to £100,000 plus cashback grants up to £30,000: 75% of the cost of energy efficiency measures up to £20,000, and 75% of renewable heating such as heat pumps and solar up to £10,000.

Loft, underfloor, cavity wall, internal and external wall insulation all count as eligible energy efficiency measures. Which you're funded for is decided after application and a site survey.

CARES Community Building Fund

For not-for-profit organisations: churches and places of worship, community centres and halls, public halls and hubs, local sports and social clubs. Designed to cut energy costs and emissions. Be aware the grants are often tied to installing solar or a heat pump, which isn't always feasible for a small organisation, so it's worth talking through the options first.

Local council energy efficiency grants

Many Scottish councils run their own grants for small businesses upgrading premises. They vary in amount and criteria but almost all cover insulation. Examples:

• Falkirk Council Energy Efficiency Fund – up to 50% of project costs, £1,000 to £10,000, for building fabric upgrades including insulation.
• Glasgow City Council Green Business Grant.
• Stirling Council Premises Improvement Grant.
• East Ayrshire Net Zero Grant – up to 50%, max £3,000, includes roof and building insulation.
• East Renfrewshire SBA Get to Zero Grant – 50% match-funded up to £5,000.
• West Lothian Low Carbon / Energy Efficiency Grant.
• Midlothian LACER Green Transition Fund – 70% of project costs up to £20,000.
• North Lanarkshire Business Recovery and Growth Fund – 50% of eligible costs up to £50,000.