Green Grant Scams via Email
How phishing emails impersonating government energy efficiency schemes solicit application fees, surveys, or personal details under the guise of qualifying for insulation, heat pump, or renewable energy grants.
Part of: Green Grant Scams
Last reviewed: 9 June 2026
Government green energy grants — such as the UK's Great British Insulation Scheme or the Boiler Upgrade Scheme — involve genuine application processes and financial benefits, making them natural targets for phishing. An email claiming to confirm eligibility for a government grant, with a link to complete an application, closely mimics the communications that genuine government scheme portals send.
Green grant phishing emails are particularly effective because they arrive at a time when energy costs are a major concern for many households. A promised grant of several thousand pounds for insulation or a heat pump is a compelling incentive to act quickly, especially if the email implies that funding is limited or the deadline is approaching.
How this scam works on email
The email arrives appearing to come from a government energy department, a local council, or an energy trust, announcing that the recipient's property has been identified as eligible for a grant. A link leads to an application form that collects personal and financial details. Some versions request an 'administration deposit' or 'survey fee' that will be reimbursed upon grant approval — in reality, the fee is simply stolen.
A second version involves a fake survey booking: the email states that a free energy survey must be completed before the grant is released, and a link books a surveyor appointment. Either no surveyor arrives or the surveyor is a salesperson pushing a high-cost installation that does not qualify for any government funding.
Common red flags
- Email claiming your property has been selected for a government energy grant without any prior application
- Application or survey link leads to a domain different from official government or energy department websites
- Administration fee or survey deposit required before grant approval
- Deadline urgency — funding ends this week — creating pressure to apply without verification
- Grant application collects bank account details for 'pre-approval funding'
- Surveyor who attends pushes a high-cost installation with no genuine connection to the grant scheme
How to protect yourself
- Verify any grant scheme through official government websites (gov.uk in the UK) before applying
- Legitimate government grants never require an application deposit or survey fee
- Check if your property genuinely qualifies using Ofgem's official eligibility checker
- Report survey-based approaches to Trading Standards if they lead to high-pressure product sales
How to report it
- Report phishing emails to your email provider and to the government department being impersonated
- Report to Action Fraud (UK) or the FTC (US)
- Report high-pressure survey-based sales to Trading Standards (UK)
Frequently asked questions
The email says my property was 'identified' as eligible through a government database — is that plausible?
Genuine outreach for schemes like ECO4 sometimes does come through your energy supplier using account data, but always verify independently through gov.uk or by contacting your supplier directly rather than trusting the email's claim alone.
A surveyor actually visited my home after I clicked the link — does that make the offer legitimate?
Not necessarily — some scams include an in-person visit specifically to add credibility before pushing an expensive, unrelated sale that has no real connection to the advertised grant.
How do I check my actual eligibility for a real government energy grant?
Use the official eligibility checker linked from gov.uk or contact your energy supplier's dedicated grant scheme team directly, rather than completing an eligibility form found through an unsolicited email.
How do I find genuine government green energy grants?
In the UK, visit gov.uk and search for the current energy efficiency schemes. Your energy supplier may also administer ECO4 grants. All genuine schemes are publicised through official channels — never through unsolicited emails.
Do government grant schemes charge fees?
No. Government-funded energy efficiency grants do not require application fees, survey deposits, or administration charges from the householder. Any email or caller requesting a fee in connection with a government grant should be treated as fraudulent.