ECO4 is the fourth phase of the government’s Energy Company Obligation scheme and seeks to improve energy efficiency among households receiving certain benefits, including those who live in fuel poverty.
Eligibility for financial assistance is determined through a household assessment, which includes a home visit and an analysis of its energy use.
Eligibility
The Energy Company Obligation Scheme (ECO) aims to fund energy-saving measures. This initiative supports vulnerable households while simultaneously cutting energy bills and carbon emissions. Available to homeowners and landlords with incomes under certain thresholds, an Energy Performance Certificate rating determines eligibility for the scheme, making the ECO4 Scheme one of the most incredible opportunities to enhance property energy efficiency before 2026! To maximise success when applying, applicants must understand the eligibility criteria and the steps involved before beginning.
The ECO4 scheme will assist in increasing the energy efficiency of your property, ultimately leading to lower bills and decreased energy use. Available to homeowners, private landlords, and social housing tenants alike, this scheme offers free measures, including insulation upgrades and heating enhancements, to enhance quality and comfort within your home environment.
Eligibility for ECO4 is determined by income, with households applying through either their local authority or an approved installer. Once eligible, local authorities make a declaration, and an installer then completes work at your house; alternatively, they can refer you for a tailored assessment with one or more visits to your home as well as in-depth discussions of the benefits and costs of recommended measures.
As part of its ECO4 Flex programme, local authorities can use this initiative to identify eligible households—even those not receiving any means-tested benefits but still suffering from health conditions made worse by living in an energy-inefficient home—suffering from living in colder homes. They then refer those households directly to an approved ECO4 installer for a customised assessment.
If you may qualify for the ECO4 scheme, contact one of the many energy suppliers who provide this service. Here is a list of council-authorised ECO4 Flex providers and installers.
Measures
ECO4 is the latest phase of the Great British Insulation Scheme and provides energy efficiency upgrades for qualified homes. ECO4 targets households that receive benefits to help lower heating bills while simultaneously improving home health. Measures available under this initiative include solid wall insulation, gas boiler replacements or upgrades, first-time central heating systems (FTCHS), renewable energy systems (RES), intelligent heating controls, and smart thermostats, though depending on which measure is chosen, each property may have to meet specific criteria for acceptance.
To determine eligibility for ECO4, homeowners must contact their energy suppliers. The supplier will ask questions regarding income and energy efficiency to assess whether any improvements need to be made; if necessary, free surveys and installations will be arranged, as well as information about costs and benefits associated with energy-saving measures.
The government recently implemented changes to ECO4 designed to make it more customer-friendly, such as eliminating obligation thresholds that require larger energy suppliers to support eligible applicants and enabling smaller companies to join and provide aid to more families. Some benefits that were previously available through the scheme will also be removed to target those most in need better.
Costs
The ECO 4 scheme offers homeowners across Scotland financial assistance for energy-saving measures in their homes. Eco 4 funding may be used for installing new heating systems, insulation, and solar panels. Furthermore, this scheme covers costs associated with air-source heat pumps and biomass boilers, state-of-the-art green heating solutions capable of saving significant money on electricity bills while helping reduce carbon emissions and climate change. It was first launched in 2022 and runs until March 2026.
Energy companies participating in the ECO scheme must assist homeowners in improving their insulation and heating systems to prevent fuel poverty, with particular attention paid to homes with an EPC rating between D and G (i.e., with EPC ratings between D and G). It focuses on upgrading the fabric of buildings rather than simply replacing outdated boilers and heaters.
Eligibility for the Energy Conservation Opportunity Zone scheme depends on both income levels and property types. It’s essential to understand eligibility requirements before applying for grants through MakeMyHouseGreen’s simple questionnaire system.
Homeowners could access up to PS70,000 worth of home improvement measures through the Energy Conservation Options (ECO) Scheme, including funding for boilers, heat pumps, or renewable energy solutions. Furthermore, Local Authority Flexible Eligibility has now been added as part of ECO4, making households eligible for energy efficiency upgrades declared eligible by councils.
The Energy Company Obligation is a government programme requiring large energy suppliers to assist customers in improving their energy efficiency. Launched in 2013, this fourth wave of the energy company obligation will run until March 2026 and prioritise fuel-poor properties while expanding available efficiency measures for all customers.
ECO4 will focus on the fabric of the home and take an innovative “fabric-first” approach that prioritises insulation installations before other measures like heating upgrades. Grants may also be available for external wall insulation installations through this scheme. To ensure all work is completed correctly, energy providers must be PAS 2030:2019 and TrustMark certified to oversee projects properly while guaranteeing the quality of work achieved.
ECO 4 Costs
ECO4 is the latest instalment of the Energy Company Obligation scheme, which is mandated by the government and designed to assist households that require energy efficiency measures. Under ECO4, licenced energy companies must provide funding for home insulation and other energy efficiency measures in households at risk or experiencing fuel poverty.
Depending on the measure installed, the costs associated with its installation may be free or discounted for eligible households. Common measures include new boilers and heating systems as well as improved loft and cavity wall insulation; in some cases, Eco grant Scotland amounts can reach thousands of pounds! Installation processes can be complex; as a result, homeowners should exercise care when selecting their provider for an ECO4 application.
If you’re thinking about applying for the ECO4 scheme, first contact a local authority or licenced energy supplier and learn about its details and requirements. After speaking to someone about it, arrange for a free property assessment, taking into account factors like income and benefits you receive while also checking if your EPC rating falls within bands A to G.
Once assessed, a local energy installer will contact you to arrange for the installation of energy-efficient measures in your home. They’ll visit to assess your needs and discuss the different options available; additionally, they’ll explain how the measures work as well as answer any queries about them that arise.
STC may need to share limited personal information with an approved ECO company in order to perform an eligibility check and survey on your behalf, which could include special category data such as health conditions that can be made worse by living in a cold home environment. STC will only share this data after receiving your explicit permission and receiving it back.
ECO4 will form an integral part of the government’s plan to reduce carbon emissions in the UK by 2050 and assist households at risk of fuel poverty. But therefore, its focus will likely be narrower than before and will only help those most in need.