ECO4 scheme guide: who qualifies before it ends on 31 December 2026
ECO4 requires larger energy suppliers to fund insulation and heating upgrades for lower-income and vulnerable households. It is not a grant scheme: work may be fully or partly funded, and you may be asked to contribute.
Send a Free EnquiryUK Energy Partnership is run by Harber Glaves Trading Ltd. We are not a government body and cannot decide who gets funding. Check eligibility with the official scheme.
ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026, with no successor
ECO4 was extended by nine months to 31 December 2026, and suppliers must deliver its measures by then. The government has confirmed there will be no successor supplier obligation, so there is no ECO5. It has instead committed £1.5bn of extra grant funding for low-income households.
Could You Qualify for ECO4?
Benefits OR Council Referral
Someone in your home gets a qualifying benefit, or your council refers you through ECO4 Flex (for example, household income under £31,000)
A Low EPC Rating
D to G if you own your home; E to G if you rent from a private landlord
Own or Rent
Homeowner, or private tenant with the owner's permission. Social housing has narrower rules.
What is the ECO4 Scheme?
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is a government scheme in Great Britain that requires larger energy suppliers to fund energy efficiency improvements for low-income, fuel-poor and vulnerable households. It covers measures installed from 1 April 2022 and runs until 31 December 2026.
ECO4 is not a grant and there is no published maximum per household. Ofgem says: "ECO is not a grant scheme and as such, different companies or installers may provide different levels or types of support".
Key Facts:
- ✓Deadline: ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026, and no supplier obligation replaces it
- ✓Funding: work may be fully or partly funded. If you are asked to contribute, Ofgem encourages you to shop around
- ✓How to apply: through any obligated energy supplier (it does not have to be your own) or your local council
- ✓Installers: must be registered with TrustMark. Ask to see their registration
ECO4 Eligibility Criteria
Benefits Route
You may be eligible if someone in your household receives one of these benefits:
AND your home must have an EPC rating of D, E, F or G if you own it, or E, F or G if you rent from a private landlord (with the owner's permission)
ECO4 Flex (Through Your Council)
If no one gets these benefits, your local council may refer you through one of four Flex routes:
- ✓Route 1: gross household income under £31,000 a year, whatever the size or location of your home
- ✓Route 2: meeting at least two of seven indicators, such as living in a low-income area, getting a low-income Council Tax reduction or free school meals
- ✓Route 3: a medical referral for certain heart, breathing, mobility or immune conditions
- ✓Route 4: other local targeting approved by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Routes 1, 3 and 4 need an EPC of D to G for owner-occupied homes and E to G for private rented homes. Route 2 needs E to G. Not every council takes part, so ask yours.
What Does ECO4 Cover?
🏠 Insulation
- • Cavity wall insulation
- • External or internal (solid) wall insulation
- • Loft, pitched roof and room-in-roof insulation
- • Underfloor and solid floor insulation
- • Park home insulation
🔥 Heating
- • Upgrading an inefficient heating system
- • First-time central heating
- • Air source or ground source heat pumps
- • High heat retention storage heaters
- • Heating controls and smart thermostats
- • A broken efficient boiler, only under strict rules
☀️ Renewables
- • Solar PV, only where the home is heated by a heat pump or suitable electric heating
- • District heating connections
🚪 Other Measures
- • Draught proofing
- • Replacing single or poor double glazing
- • Higher performance external doors
Note: Not every measure is available to every home. A retrofit assessment decides what suits your property, heating measures come with insulation pre-conditions, and a new boiler is not guaranteed.
Typical costs, last reviewed September 2026 (before any funding; Energy Saving Trust, July 2026 prices): loft insulation around £650 to £1,200, cavity wall insulation around £1,100 to £3,900 depending on house type, external wall insulation around £15,000 and an air source heat pump around £12,000.
How to Apply for ECO4
Check Eligibility
Check whether someone in your home gets a qualifying benefit, or ask your council about ECO4 Flex. In England and Wales you can look up your home's EPC rating on the GOV.UK Find an energy certificate service.
Contact a Supplier or Your Council
Ofgem says you can contact any of the obligated energy suppliers, even if they are not your provider. You can also send us an enquiry: we pass it to Better Home Hub, which may introduce you to installers. We cannot decide whether you qualify.
Home Survey
A retrofit assessment works out which measures suit your home. Ask whether there is any charge before it goes ahead.
Contract and Contribution
Ofgem advises agreeing to ECO work only once you have a contract. Check whether you are being asked to contribute, and if so, shop around.
Installation
Work is carried out by a TrustMark-registered installer. How long it takes depends on the measures. ECO4 measures must be delivered by 31 December 2026.
⏱️ Timing
• No set timescale: surveys, approval and installation depend on the supplier, council and installer
• Deadline: suppliers must deliver ECO4 measures no later than 31 December 2026
• Tip: ask for the expected installation date in writing before you sign anything
Benefits of ECO4
Lower Energy Bills
The Energy Saving Trust estimates new loft insulation saves around £140 to £360 a year, depending on house type (July 2026 prices)
Warmer Home
Better heat retention and comfort year-round
Improve EPC Rating
ECO4 aims to lift D and E homes to at least band C, and F and G homes to at least band D
Reduce Carbon Footprint
The Energy Saving Trust estimates cavity wall insulation in a semi-detached house saves around 650 kg of CO2 a year
ECO4 Ends 31 December 2026: Ask If You Could Qualify
Free to send an enquiry • No obligation • We do not decide who gets funding
Send an EnquiryWe pass enquiries to Better Home Hub (a trading name of Harber Glaves Trading Ltd), which may introduce you to installers who may pay it a fee. Your energy supplier, council or installer confirms whether you qualify.