Is Help 2 Buy Windows a con?
It is a fair question, and the honest answer is no. Help 2 Buy Windows is a real, registered, accredited UK company that has been trading since 2016. But you should not take our word for it, so this page gives you the company numbers, the registers to check them on, exactly where the money comes from, and the parts people call "the catch". Two minutes of checking and you can decide for yourself.
- ✓ H2B Windows Ltd, registered in England since 2016 (company number 11424913)
- ✓ Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA 814201)
- ✓ Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO ZA657197)
- ✓ Glass and Glazing Federation member (No. A3526), plus DGCOS and Assure
- ✓ Rated 4.8 / 5 on Trustpilot from more than 13,000 independent reviews
The Help2Buy Window Grant Scheme™ is not a government scheme. Funding is limited, awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and not all applicants qualify.
No — Help 2 Buy Windows is not a con.
It is a legitimate, regulated UK business with a real grant scheme. What it is not is a government scheme, and it is not a promise that everyone gets free windows. The grant is privately funded, the criteria are real, and plenty of applicants do not qualify. Anyone telling you otherwise before they know a single thing about your home is the one to be wary of.
Five checks you can run in two minutes
Every one of these is a free public register. Run them on us, and run them on any other company offering you a window grant before you hand over your details.
Companies House
Confirms the company legally exists, when it was incorporated and who runs it.
FCA register
Confirms we are authorised and regulated to talk to you about finance options.
ICO register
Confirms we are registered to handle personal data under UK GDPR.
Glass and Glazing Federation
The industry body for glazing standards. Our membership is listed publicly in its member directory.
Trustpilot
Reviews we cannot edit or remove, on a platform we do not control, in the Double Glazing Installer category.
And our protections
Installations are covered by DGCOS, the Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme, and Assure certification — independent routes to raise a complaint that do not run through us.
If the windows are funded, who pays for them?
This is the real question behind "is it a con", and it deserves a straight answer rather than a slogan. Here is the entire business model, start to finish.
You complete the free funding checker. It costs nothing and puts you under no obligation.
We check your home and circumstances against the scheme criteria. Some applicants qualify for the grant, some for funding options, some for neither.
If you agree to be introduced, an accredited installation company pays Help 2 Buy Windows for that qualified introduction.
That revenue is what funds the grants and discounts. No public money is involved at any point.
Why this matters to you
Because it explains the incentives. We are paid for qualified introductions, which means there is no value to us in pushing through someone who does not fit the criteria, and no reason to charge you anything. It is also why we can say plainly that the checker is free: it is the product.
It is equally why we will never claim to be a government scheme. The Help 2 Buy Windows Grant Scheme™ is privately funded and entirely separate from schemes such as ECO4 or the Warm Homes Local Grant. If you are looking specifically for state support, our guide to government grants for windows explains what exists and who qualifies.
And your details are not sprayed across a panel of firms. Under our ICO registration we will not pass your information to an installation partner without your prior permission — you are introduced to one accredited installer, not sold to ten.
So what actually is the catch?
Every offer has terms. Here are ours, stated before you give us anything, rather than after.
1. Not everyone qualifies
You need to be a UK homeowner (not council or housing association), employed, self-employed or retired, and your windows or doors typically need to be five years old or older. Funding is limited and awarded first come, first served. If you do not meet the criteria, we will tell you.
2. It is not government money
We are not affiliated with the government, any local authority or any state scheme, and we receive no public funding. Where the word "free" appears anywhere on this site, it applies only to homeowners who meet the full grant qualifying criteria.
3. Someone will call you
Completing the checker means a member of our team will get in touch to talk through your application and what you qualify for. That conversation is how the assessment happens. There is no obligation to proceed at any stage, and you can ask us to delete your details at any point.
What there isn't: no upfront fee, no deposit to "release" a grant, no charge for the eligibility check, and no obligation to accept any quote you are given.
How to spot a genuine window grant scam
Window and insulation grants attract rogue operators, and being cautious is sensible. Use this list on us, and on everyone else you speak to.
Warning signs
- ✕ Guarantees you free windows before knowing anything about your home
- ✕ Claims to be a government scheme, or implies government backing it does not have
- ✕ Asks for an upfront payment or deposit to "release" or "secure" a grant
- ✕ Has no company number, FCA or ICO registration you can look up
- ✕ Uses pressure tactics, or a deadline that keeps moving
- ✕ Only shows reviews on its own website, on a page it controls
- ✕ Cannot or will not explain where the funding comes from
- ✕ Cold-calls or doorsteps you and wants a decision the same day
Signs of a legitimate scheme
- ✓ States its funding source in plain language
- ✓ Publishes company, regulator and industry registration numbers
- ✓ Tells you openly that not everyone qualifies
- ✓ Carries independent reviews on a platform it does not control
- ✓ Belongs to an industry body with a complaints route, such as GGF or DGCOS
- ✓ Never asks for money to check your eligibility
- ✓ Gives you a written quote with no obligation to accept
- ✓ Has a real registered address and a phone number that a human answers
If you believe you have been targeted by a home improvement scam, report it to Action Fraud or contact the Citizens Advice consumer service.
13,000+ homeowners have already reviewed us
Reviews we cannot edit, delete or filter, collected independently by Trustpilot, in its Double Glazing Installer category.
A 4.8 score held across more than thirteen thousand reviews is difficult to fake and difficult to sustain. It is not perfect, and we would be suspicious of any national installer claiming it was — but it is the clearest evidence of what actually happens after someone qualifies.
For the full picture, including how the scheme works and what customers say about the process, see our Help 2 Buy Windows reviews page.
Questions people ask before they trust us
Is Help 2 Buy Windows a con?
No. Help 2 Buy Windows is the trading name of H2B Windows Ltd, a UK company registered in England since 2016 (company number 11424913), authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA number 814201) and registered with the ICO (ZA657197). It is a member of the Glass and Glazing Federation (No. A3526), DGCOS and Assure, and is rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from more than 13,000 independent reviews. Every one of those registrations can be checked on a public register. The grant is real, but it is privately funded rather than a government scheme, and not every applicant qualifies.
How do I check Help 2 Buy Windows is legitimate?
Run five public checks: Companies House for H2B Windows Ltd (11424913), the FCA register for firm reference 814201, the ICO register for ZA657197, the Glass and Glazing Federation member directory for membership A3526, and Trustpilot for the review score and volume. All five are free to search and take about two minutes in total. We would encourage you to run the same checks on any window grant company before giving them your details.
What is the catch with Help 2 Buy Windows?
There are three things worth knowing up front. First, it is not a government scheme, so it is not funded by public money. Second, funding is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis against qualifying criteria, so not every applicant qualifies. Third, once you complete the funding checker a member of the team will contact you to discuss your application. Nothing is hidden: checking is free and there is no obligation to proceed.
How does Help 2 Buy Windows make money if the grant is free?
Accredited installation companies pay Help 2 Buy Windows for qualified homeowner leads, and that revenue funds the grants and discounts offered to qualifying homeowners. That is the entire business model. It is why checking eligibility costs nothing, and why the scheme can operate without government money.
Is the Help 2 Buy Windows grant a government grant?
No. The Help 2 Buy Windows Grant Scheme is not a government scheme and is not affiliated with any government-run scheme such as ECO4 or the Warm Homes Local Grant, nor with any local authority grant. It is funded entirely by Help 2 Buy Windows. If you are looking for state support specifically, see our government grants for windows guide.
Will my details be sold to lots of companies?
No. H2B Windows Ltd is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ZA657197) and will never pass your information to a third-party installation partner without gaining your prior permission. You are introduced to one accredited installer, not distributed across a panel. Full detail is in our privacy policy.
How can I spot a genuine window grant scam?
The clearest warning signs are: a company that guarantees you free windows before knowing anything about your home, claims to be a government scheme or implies government backing, asks for an upfront payment or deposit to release a grant, has no company number, FCA or ICO registration to check, uses pressure tactics or a deadline that keeps moving, or cannot show independent reviews on a platform it does not control. A legitimate scheme states its funding source, publishes its registrations and tells you plainly that not everyone qualifies.
Who qualifies for the Help 2 Buy Windows grant?
You need to be a UK homeowner, not in council or housing association accommodation, and employed, self-employed or retired. Windows and doors are typically five years old or older. Full criteria are on our FAQ page, and you can check your own eligibility in under 60 seconds with the funding checker.