The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is a government based energy-efficiency scheme which operates within Great Britain. It is designed to tackle fuel poverty and help reduce carbon emissions. ECO is an obligation placed on the energy companies to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises. ECO4 measures were able to be delivered from the 1st April 2022 and the ECO4 scheme will run until 31st March 2026. You can read more about our successful transition from ECO3 to ECO4 here.

ECO4 also aims to deliver a more complete  upgrade of those homes, transitioning to a multi-measure whole-house retrofit based approach. Furthermore, a minimum number of private tenure homes in energy efficiency rating band E, F and G must be upgraded throughout ECO4, ensuring the least efficient homes are treated. With the delivery of ECO4 taking this whole house approach and the process being much more complex than ECO3, it is very hard for people to know what they qualify for. This article is about helping you understand what you may be entitled to for, FREE of charge under the ECO4 scheme.

It is worth noting that ECO eligibility is assessed using a variety of factors ranging from an assessment of householder criteria to qualifying benefits. The householder eligibility criteria are assessed using three separate pathways:

1. Receipt of eligible benefits 

You may be eligible for ECO4 if you live in a private domestic property and are a member of the Help to Heat Group (HTHG). Being a member of the HTHG means that you receive at least one of the following benefits and meet the relevant income requirements:

1. Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
2. Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
3. Income Support (IS)
4. Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (PCGC)
5. Working Tax Credit (WTC)
6. Child Tax Credit (CTC)
7. Universal Credit (UC)
8. Housing Benefit
9. Pension Credit Savings Credit (PCSC)
10. Child Benefit (within the income caps, please check Chapter 5 of the ECO4 Guidance: Delivery).

Additionally, you may be eligible if you receive the Core Group 1 and Core Group 2 rebate in England and Wales or the Core Group in Scotland for each respective scheme year under the Warm Home Discount scheme.

For households with disabilities, eligibility is based on receipt of a means-tested benefit or if you are found eligible under one of the four routes outlined in the eligibility mechanism ‘ECO4 Flex’. We will discuss eligibility under ECO4 Flex later on.

2. Living in social housing with poor energy efficiency

Measures under ECO4 can be delivered to social housing with an EPC energy efficiency rating of D, E, F, and G. Delivery of measures to SAP band E-G rated social housing premises is available for the following free energy saving measures:

a) Insulation measures

b) First time central heating

c) Renewable heating except where it replaces a renewable heating measure of the same kind at the domestic premises

d) District heating connection

e) Innovation measures (IMs).

3. Eligibility under ECO4 Flex

Under ECO4 Flex, local authorities (LAs), the Scottish and Welsh Governments, and suppliers can identify households that meet certain legislated eligibility requirements. 

In terms of identifying exactly what measures you will qualify for under ECO4, this will vary depending on a variety of factors; differences in homes and personal circumstances will influence what you are eligible for. Our in-house energy experts will ensure they will maximise on your FREE energy saving grant and will guarantee that you will receive as many measures as possible to be installed. Here at EnergySmart we are an award winning installer with over 10 years of experience within the industry. To see what you qualify for under the ECO4 scheme, simply send us the application form below and let our energy experts do the work!