If you own or are planning to buy a property in Wales that has been empty for at least 12 months, you could be eligible for significant financial support to help bring it back into liveable condition. The National Empty Homes Grant Scheme provides funding toward eligible renovation and energy-efficiency works, with the Welsh Government extending the application window until September 2026.

1. What Is the National Empty Homes Grant in Wales?

Empty properties often require substantial capital before they are safe, structurally sound, and energy-efficient enough to live in. The National Empty Homes Grant Scheme is funded by the Welsh Government and delivered by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council on behalf of participating local authorities across Wales.

The scheme helps owners and prospective buyers bring long-term vacant houses back into active residential use by assisting with essential repairs and mandatory energy-efficiency upgrades.

2. How Much Funding Can You Receive?

The scheme supports eligible works based on a maximum limit of up to £25,000, with ancillary fees added separately where applicable.

• Standard Contribution: Applicants usually contribute 15% of the total cost of eligible works, capped at £3,750.
• Hardship Waiver: The 15% contribution can be waived if the applicant is determined to be experiencing financial hardship.
• Assessment-Based: The actual grant awarded depends on property condition and the Schedule of Works drawn up by the local authority surveyor. No grant assistance is normally awarded for total assessed works under £1,000.

3. Who Qualifies for the Grant?

To qualify for the funding, both the property and the applicant must meet strict criteria:

A. 12-Month Vacancy Requirement

At the date of application, the property must have been:

• Unoccupied and substantially unfurnished
• Registered as vacant with the relevant local authority's Council Tax department for at least 12 months
• Listed as a domestic property for Council Tax purposes for at least 12 months

B. Ownership Status

You can apply as either the current registered owner or a prospective owner who is actively in the process of buying the property (evidence of mortgage offers or purchase proceedings will be required).

C. 5-Year Owner-Occupier Condition

Applicants must intend to live in the property as their main and only residence for at least five years after the grant-funded works are certified complete. The grant is not available for commercial developers, house flippers, or buy-to-let investors.

Note: A legal charge is registered against the property title for the 5-year condition period. If the property is sold or ceases to be your main residence during this timeframe, grant repayment may be triggered.

4. What Renovation Works Can the Grant Cover?

The grant targets essential repairs needed to address Category 1 and 2 hazards, making the property safe, secure, and habitable. You cannot select decorative upgrades yourself—a local authority surveyor inspects the property to produce an official Schedule of Works.

Eligible repair areas often include:

• Central heating installations and upgrades
• Electrical rewiring and safety compliance
• Window and door replacements
• Damp-proofing, timber treatment, and tanking
• Roofing, guttering, and structural repairs
• Mandatory energy-efficiency improvements

5. Energy Efficiency & Combining Low-Carbon Technologies

Energy-efficiency improvements are a mandatory component of the Empty Homes Grant. Bringing an older, vacant property back into use provides an ideal opportunity to consider future running costs and low-carbon tech.

While solar PV panels, battery storage, or heat pumps should not be assumed to automatically qualify under the Empty Homes Grant itself, homeowners can explore separate funding schemes running alongside their renovation:

• Welsh Government Nest Scheme: Provides eligible households in Wales with free energy-efficiency improvements, which can include heat pumps, insulation, or solar panels.
• Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS): Offers grants of £7,500 for switching to an air source or ground source heat pump, with up to £9,000 available for eligible off-gas grid oil/LPG properties in England & Wales.

6. Participating Local Authorities in Wales

Participating local council areas across Wales currently include:

Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, and Cardiff.

*Note: Additional local connection criteria currently apply in the Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Ceredigion, and Swansea's Gower Ward. Always verify via the official eligibility checker.

7. Step-by-Step Application Process

1. Check Property Eligibility: Confirm the property has been registered empty for 12+ months in a participating area.
2. Online Application: Apply via the official National Empty Homes Grant Wales portal, providing ID, proof of ownership/purchase, mortgage details, and local connection evidence if applicable.
3. Local Authority Survey: A council surveyor inspects the property to generate the official Schedule of Works.
4. Obtain Contractor Quotes: Source quotes from competent contractors matching the Schedule of Works.
5. Formal Grant Approval: Receive formal approval (typically around a 12-week process).
6. Complete Works: Works must be completed within the agreed timeframe (normally 9 months).
7. Inspection & Payment: Final council inspection before grant funds are released (interim payments available).

How Blue Ape Renewables Can Assist Your Renovation

If you are bringing an empty property back into use and want to lower your future energy bills, Blue Ape Renewables can design and install bespoke low-carbon energy packages once structural works allow.

We provide expert advice, design, and installation for:

• Solar PV Systems: Generate your own clean electricity from your roof.
• Battery Storage: Store solar power or off-peak grid energy for evening use.
• Air Source Heat Pumps: Upgrade outdated fossil-fuel heating to modern electric heat pumps (and access up to £7,500–£9,000 in BUS grants).
• EV Fast Chargers: Prepare your renovated home for electric vehicle driving.

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