Checked against GOV.UK and Ofgem on 13 September 2026
Is there an ECO5 scheme?
No. There is no ECO5, and the government has confirmed there will be no successor supplier obligation to ECO4.
ECO4 itself is still open until 31 December 2026. After that, government support continues through the Warm Homes Plan instead of through energy suppliers — and some of its schemes are open now.
The short version
If you have been told to “wait for ECO5”, you are waiting for something that is not coming. The Warm Homes Plan, published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, states that the government “took the decision to bring supplier obligations to a close, as these did not represent strong value for money”. The government’s ECO4 response adds: “there will be no successor supplier obligation to ECO4.”
ECO4 is the last scheme of its kind, and work under it has to be finished by 31 December 2026.
What is actually happening
ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026
It was due to end on 31 March 2026, but DESNZ extended it by nine months to give energy suppliers more time to meet their existing targets and to let installers fix non-compliant installations. Targets were not increased — the extension is about finishing, not expanding. If you think you might qualify, check with an energy supplier or your council before the scheme ends.
The Great British Insulation Scheme has closed
GBIS ended on 31 March 2026 as planned and was not extended. Any site still inviting you to apply for GBIS is out of date.
The Warm Homes Plan replaces the obligation model
Rather than a fifth supplier obligation, the Warm Homes Plan (published January 2026) sets out £15 billion of public investment to upgrade up to five million homes. It is paid for by government rather than through an obligation on energy suppliers.
What you can apply for instead
These are open now. None of them is called ECO5.
Warm Homes: Local Grant
England only. If your council has funding, it arranges a survey and pays for agreed upgrades such as insulation, an air source heat pump, smart controls or solar panels. For privately owned homes rated EPC D–G, where household income is usually £36,000 a year or less (some benefits and postcode areas also qualify). Eligible owner-occupiers pay nothing; landlords may need to contribute.
Check on GOV.UK →ECO4
Still open, through energy suppliers and councils. Insulation and heating upgrades for some households on certain benefits or a lower income, in owner-occupied homes rated EPC D–G or private rented homes rated E–G. It is not a grant: work may be fully or partly funded, and you may be asked to contribute. This is the one with a deadline.
Read the ECO4 guide →Boiler Upgrade Scheme
England and Wales. £7,500 towards an air or ground source heat pump (£9,000 until 31 March 2027 for off-gas-grid homes heated by oil or LPG), £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump, or £5,000 towards a biomass boiler. For property owners, with no income test. Your MCS certified installer applies.
See heat pump funding →There is also 0% VAT on installed solar panels, heat pumps, batteries and insulation until 31 March 2027, after which it returns to 5%. It applies to everybody, with no eligibility test, but not to gas boilers or windows. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also run their own schemes.
UK Energy Partnership is run by Better Home Hub Ltd. We are not a government body and cannot decide who gets funding — check eligibility with the official scheme.
Common questions
Is there going to be an ECO5 scheme?
No. The Warm Homes Plan confirms the government has brought energy supplier obligations to a close, and the government has said there will be no successor supplier obligation to ECO4. Support continues through the Warm Homes Plan instead.
When does ECO4 end?
ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026. It was originally due to close on 31 March 2026 but was extended by nine months to give suppliers more time to meet their existing targets and to allow remediation of non-compliant installations. Targets were not increased.
Can I still get free insulation in 2026?
Possibly, but it is not guaranteed. ECO4 is open until 31 December 2026 for some households on certain benefits or a lower income, in owner-occupied homes rated EPC D-G or private rented homes rated E-G. It is not a grant, so work may be fully or partly funded and you may be asked to contribute. In England, the Warm Homes: Local Grant is open for privately owned homes rated EPC D-G where household income is usually £36,000 a year or less; if you are eligible and your council has funding, owner-occupiers pay nothing.
What replaced the Great British Insulation Scheme?
GBIS closed on 31 March 2026 and was not replaced directly. In England, lower-income households can look at the Warm Homes: Local Grant, delivered by local councils. ECO4 is open until 31 December 2026, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes.
Should I wait for a new scheme before insulating my home?
There is no successor obligation scheme to wait for. If you are paying for the work yourself, note that 0% VAT on installed insulation, solar panels and heat pumps is due to end on 31 March 2027, after which it returns to 5%.
What is the Warm Homes Plan?
It is the government plan, published in January 2026, that replaces the supplier obligation model with £15 billion of public investment to upgrade up to five million homes. It funds schemes such as the Warm Homes: Local Grant, the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Government-backed low and zero-interest loans have also been announced; lenders are being signed up.
Planning insulation or a heat pump?
Tell us about your home and what you need. Sending an enquiry is free and there is no obligation. Better Home Hub can introduce you to local installers, who can explain whether any scheme they work with might apply. Only the scheme, your council or an energy supplier can decide who gets funding.
Send an enquiry