Quick answer: there is currently no UK government grant for removing spray foam insulation. Grants exist to help fund new insulation installations for eligible households, not to reverse installations that have gone wrong.
If you're searching for a "spray foam removal scheme," you're looking for something that, as things stand, doesn't exist — and it's worth understanding why, because the history explains a lot about the problem you're now dealing with.
How we got here: the Green Homes Grant
Most of the spray foam causing mortgage problems today was installed between September 2020 and March 2021, during the government's Green Homes Grant scheme. The scheme offered vouchers covering up to two-thirds of the cost of approved energy efficiency measures, including loft and cavity insulation, through TrustMark-registered installers.
The scheme itself was scrapped six months early, in March 2021, after widespread criticism of its administration — the National Audit Office found that a large share of applications were never completed and installer approval was slow and inconsistent. That rushed rollout, combined with a surge of new installers entering the insulation market to chase government-subsidised work, is a big part of why so much spray foam from this period was poorly specified: applied to roofs without adequate ventilation, used on properties where it wasn't appropriate, or installed by contractors with limited spray foam experience.
None of that history changes your current problem — you still can't get a mortgage on the property until the foam is dealt with — but it matters for the redress question, because "who installed it, when, and under what scheme" determines which of the routes below might actually apply to you.
What financial help does exist right now
Two current schemes are relevant to insulation, and it's important to be clear about what they do and don't cover:
- ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation) funds the installation of new insulation and heating measures for eligible low-income and vulnerable households, running through to March . It does not fund removal of existing insulation.
- The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) funds new insulation installation for homes in lower council tax bands with poor energy efficiency ratings, again covering installation costs, not removal.
If you already have spray foam and need it out, neither scheme applies to your situation. There is no equivalent "removal grant" run by government, energy companies, or local authorities as of . Be sceptical of anyone — including some removal companies — who suggest otherwise; if a "grant" or "scheme" is mentioned in a sales call, ask for the specific scheme name and check it against gov.uk directly before paying anything.
Watchdog and media coverage of spray foam mis-selling
Spray foam mis-selling has had sustained coverage from consumer watchdogs and broadcasters over the past few years. Which? has reported on cases where homeowners installed spray foam — often marketed heavily around the Green Homes Grant period — only to find it later blocked their mortgage or remortgage, sometimes without the original installer disclosing the risk. The BBC has run similar investigations into cowboy installers and the knock-on effect on property sales, describing cases where homeowners were unable to sell or remortgage without spending thousands on removal they hadn't budgeted for.
The pattern in most of this coverage is consistent: aggressive door-to-door or telesales pitches focused on energy bill savings, minimal explanation of how the product would affect a future sale or mortgage application, and installers who were difficult to trace or had ceased trading by the time problems surfaced. If any of that sounds familiar, it strengthens rather than weakens your position when it comes to pursuing redress.
Redress routes worth pursuing
There's no single body that will simply refund your removal cost, but several routes are worth chasing in parallel, roughly in order of how straightforward they are:
Section 75 claims. If you paid any part of the installation cost (even a deposit as low as £100) on a credit card, and the total cost was between £100 and £30,000, the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your card provider jointly liable with the installer for breach of contract or misrepresentation. This is often the fastest route, because you're claiming against your card provider directly rather than chasing a company that may no longer exist.
Installer warranty or guarantee claims. Check any paperwork from the installation for a workmanship warranty, and separately for an insurance-backed guarantee — these are sometimes provided through schemes such as HIES (Home Insulation and Energy Systems Contractors Scheme) for installers registered with it at the time of work. An insurance-backed guarantee survives even if the original installer has gone out of business, which a standalone company warranty does not.
TrustMark and installer accreditation. If the work was done under the Green Homes Grant, the installer should have been TrustMark-registered at the time. TrustMark-registered work carries consumer protection routes through TrustMark's own framework — worth checking even if the installer is no longer trading, though outcomes vary by case.
Professional negligence against your original surveyor. If you bought the property after the foam was installed and your pre-purchase survey failed to identify or flag it, you may have a negligence claim against the surveyor who missed it — subject to normal limitation periods (broadly six years from the survey in contract, sometimes longer in tort). This is a route for a solicitor to assess, not a DIY claim.
Trading Standards and Citizens Advice. Reporting a mis-selling case to your local Trading Standards team, via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, doesn't get your money back directly but builds an enforcement record against rogue installers and can support other legal action.
Pursue these in parallel rather than waiting for one to fail before trying the next — a Section 75 claim, for example, doesn't stop you also chasing a warranty claim.
Realistic self-funding costs
If none of the redress routes recover enough to cover removal, or you're the second or third owner of the property with no route back to the original installer at all, you're most likely funding removal yourself. Current UK removal costs run £20–£80 per m² depending on foam type, access, and the extent of any timber repair needed — typically £3,000–£8,000 for a standard semi-detached loft, and up into five figures if extensive timber replacement or a full roof restoration turns out to be necessary once the foam is off. Our full cost guide breaks this down region by region.
Financing options worth considering: some removal companies offer payment plans; a further advance or additional borrowing against your mortgage may be possible once you have a fixed removal quote; and if you're selling, negotiating the removal cost off the sale price (rather than paying for it yourself before marketing the property) shifts the cost to the transaction rather than your own cash flow — see our guide on how spray foam affects your mortgage for how lenders and valuers typically treat this.
Whichever route you take, get a post-removal certificate as part of the job — see our guide to certificates for mortgage lenders — since that's the document that actually restores your mortgage eligibility, not the removal work alone.
Funding removal yourself? Compare quotes from vetted specialists before you commit to a contractor.
Get Free Removal QuotesFrequently Asked Questions
Is there a government grant for spray foam removal in ?
No. There is currently no UK government grant, scheme, or fund specifically for removing spray foam insulation. ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme fund new insulation installation for eligible households, not removal of existing insulation.
What was the Green Homes Grant, and is it still running?
The Green Homes Grant ran from September 2020 to March 2021 and subsidised energy efficiency improvements, including insulation, through TrustMark-registered installers. It closed six months early following criticism of its administration and is not currently running or planned to return.
Can I get compensation if my spray foam was mis-sold?
Possibly, through several routes: a Section 75 claim if you paid by credit card, an installer warranty or insurance-backed guarantee claim, or a TrustMark consumer protection claim if the work was registered under that scheme. Pursue these in parallel rather than relying on just one.
What is a Section 75 claim and how do I make one?
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your credit card provider jointly liable with a supplier for breach of contract, provided you paid at least part of the cost (from £100 up to £30,000) on that card. Contact your card provider directly to start a claim; you don't need to go through the installer first.
My installer has gone out of business — do I have any options?
Yes, potentially. An insurance-backed guarantee (if one was arranged at installation) survives the installer ceasing to trade, unlike a standard company warranty. Section 75 claims against your card provider are also unaffected by the installer's status.
How much does spray foam removal cost if I have to fund it myself?
Typically £20–£80 per m², or roughly £3,000–£8,000 for a standard semi-detached loft, rising if timber repair or ventilation work is needed. Get a written quote before committing, and confirm a post-removal certificate is included.
Will Trading Standards remove the foam for me or refund my costs?
No, but reporting mis-selling to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice builds an enforcement record and can support other claims. It isn't a direct route to a refund or free removal.
