The government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme helps to reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty.
A part of the scheme called ‘flexible eligibility’ enables us to set targets for energy suppliers to help fund the installation of energy-efficiency measures in qualifying households.
The current ECO scheme ended in March 2022. The new scheme, ECO4, which is due to run from July 2022 to March 2026, is still being developed. We will update this information when we learn more about it.
Measures might include loft and wall insulation. Targets are based on each supplier’s share of the domestic energy market. Not all energy suppliers are obligated to join the scheme.
You can apply for support if you live in a property that is costly to heat, or if you or somebody living with you are vulnerable to cold.
Qualifying criteria include:
- You receive a qualifying benefit
- Your household income is less than £20,000 for a single person or £30,000 for a couple, and you have savings of less than £20,000
- Your property has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, F or G, or provides a qualifying score through our assessment
- You or somebody living in your property have a health condition that can be exacerbated by the cold
- You or somebody living in your property are pregnant or have a child aged under 5
- You or somebody living in your property are aged over 65
Our ECO scheme statement of intent [PDF, 0.1MB] provides further information about eligibility.
Contact us if you think you might be eligible to receive support. Note that being eligible does not guarantee that measures to improve heating or insulation will be installed, or that they can be installed free of charge.
