ECO (Energy Company Obligation) has been set up by the government to deliver energy efficiency measures in homes across Great Britain. It is primarily a way for the government to alleviate fuel poverty by supporting those households with access to funding to reduce their energy bills whilst also reducing carbon emissions. ECO4 replaces the ECO3 scheme and is live until 31 March 2026.
At MEG, we’re working alongside the ‘Big 6’ energy suppliers to bridge the gap to Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding, help tackle fuel poverty in local communities and regenerate homes for the future. The scheme will have £1 Billion invested into it each year presenting an excellent opportunity for low-income and vulnerable households, and those living in homes with the least energy efficiency, to receive energy-saving measures for free.
Although the scheme’s main objective is to support low-income and vulnerable households, it also sets out to support the government’s goal of all homes achieving an EPC band C by 2030 with the interim milestone for EPC band D by 2025. This all falls under the government’s sustainable warmth strategy.
To complement the targeting of low-income households, the aim is to increase the focus on the least energy efficient homes and require a complete upgrade of those homes – this means more measures than ever before which is fantastic news for these households and means they will see an even greater reduction in their energy bills through better energy efficiency.
There are various ways to access this funding. Typically, if you spend more than 10% of your income on energy bills, this is classified as being in fuel poverty.
A new important feature of ECO4 is a property’s EPC rating along with other funding routes based on benefits, low income or poor health. Because of this, there are numerous ways to access ECO4 funding so have a look at the below and see if any of these apply to you.
Should you or anyone in your household not receive any of the benefits listed above, funding may still be available if:
If Child Benefit is the only benefit you receive, your household will need to have earned less than the amounts below.
Single parents
1 Child – £19,900
2 Children – £24,800
3 Children – £29,600
4+ Children – £34,500
Parents in a couple
1 Child – £27,500
2 Children – £32,300
3 Children – £37,200
4+ Children – £42,000
(figures updated to Ofgem’s Administration Consultation released on 13 June 2022)
You’ll need to provide evidence such as payslips and bank account records to support your application.
To talk to someone about your eligibility for ECO4 please get in touch to see how we can help reduce your energy bills, make your home warmer and reduce the impact your home has on the environment.
Don’t meet these criteria? Other grants are available or if you can self-fund energy-efficiency improvements, visit Apollo Heat Source for reliable and affordable green solutions.
It is the Energy Companies Obligation- its aims are to lower carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. It is the 4th ECO scheme and will last 4 years.
Yes, if you qualify for ECO4 all work carried out will be free. It is funded by the energy companies and the government and you will not be asked to pay back any money.
No, we carry out the survey, gather all the qualifying documents, carry out the work and then submit the work directly to the energy companies. It is not possible for the customer to receive the money for the grant – we get paid after the work is complete.
You may be eligible for one or more energy efficient measures, however, we are not able to advise on what they may be before carrying out an assessment. After your property has had a retrofit assessment survey and a retrofit coordinator has designed the plan for your home, and at that point we can advise on which measures would work best for your home.