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ECO4 Energy Company Obligation (ECO4 & ECO4 Flex)
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is a government-backed legal framework that obligates major UK energy suppliers (such as British Gas, Octopus, and E.ON) to fund household energy efficiency improvements. The scheme focuses on a "whole-house" retrofit approach, meaning installers assess the entire property to install a package of measures that boost the home's overall Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating rather than just fixing a single issue.
ECO4 runs through 31 December 2026. For eligible households, all survey work, materials, and installations are completely free of charge.
What It Covers:
ECO4 funds comprehensive, high-value structural and heating measures tailored to the property.
Insulation: Internal/external solid wall insulation, cavity wall insulation, loft and room-in-roof insulation, and underfloor insulation.
Low-Carbon & High-Efficiency Heating: Air-source heat pumps, high-heat-retention electric storage heaters, and first-time central heating systems. Standard gas boiler replacements are strictly limited to replacing inefficient, broken G-rated boilers with modern, energy-efficient equivalents.
Renewable Energy & Controls: Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels (typically for homes with electric heating) and smart thermostats/heating controls.
Who Qualifies:
To qualify via the standard route, a household member must receive a qualifying means-tested benefit, including:
Universal Credit or Housing Benefit
Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit)
Income Support, Income-based JSA, or Income-related ESA
Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit
Child Benefit (subject to income thresholds)
Property Requirement: The home must be an existing domestic property with an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G. Both owner-occupiers and private tenants (with written landlord consent) are eligible.
ECO4 Flex (Local Authority Flexible Eligibility):
ECO4 Flex allows local councils to nominate households that do not receive means-tested benefits but are still in fuel poverty or on low incomes. Local authorities can approve eligibility under several routes:
Low Income: Gross household income under £31,000 per year.
Health & Vulnerability: Residents suffering from health conditions made worse by living in a cold home (e.g., cardiovascular or respiratory illnesses, severe mobility issues, or age-related vulnerabilities).
Deprivation: Properties located in areas categorized as high on the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).
Property Requirement:
The home must be an existing domestic property with an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G. Both owner-occupiers and private tenants (with written landlord consent) are eligible.
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)
For landlords in England and Wales, it is against the law to rent out a property with an EPC rating below Band E, unless a valid, registered exemption applies. Our assessors are experts in advising landlords on the most cost-effective path to MEES compliance
Applications do not go through a central government portal. Householders or landlords apply directly through an accredited ECO4 installer or by contacting any major energy supplier's ECO division (you do not need to be a direct customer of the supplier funding the work). The installer will complete an eligibility check, schedule a property survey, and submit the planned retrofits to the energy supplier for funding approval before carrying out the work.
How to Apply:
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