Home energyEnergy and green upgrades
ECO4 explained: who can get help and when it ends
ECO4 is a government energy efficiency scheme in Great Britain for low-income and fuel-poor households. It applies to measures installed from 1 April 2022 and runs until 31 December 2026, following a nine-month extension. You apply through your local council or an energy supplier, not through VettedHome.
We read your enquiry and reply by email. Check an installer's accreditation before work starts, using the guide below.
On this page
What it is
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government energy efficiency scheme in Great Britain designed to tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions. It works by placing an obligation on medium and large energy suppliers to promote measures that help low-income, fuel-poor and vulnerable households heat their homes, such as insulation or a heating upgrade (Ofgem).
ECO4 is the current phase. It applies to measures installed from 1 April 2022 and will run until 31 December 2026, following a nine-month extension. Ofgem administers it on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and TrustMark oversees the quality assurance of retrofits (Ofgem).
How it works
You do not apply to Ofgem. Gov.uk says to contact your local council to find out whether they are taking part in the scheme, or to contact an energy supplier directly. Suppliers taking part are listed on the Ofgem website.
Installers or agents may contact you directly. If you are not sure whether an offer is genuine, gov.uk advises contacting your local council or the energy supplier the installer says they represent.
Gov.uk notes that there are quality issues with some solid wall insulation fitted through ECO. If you are concerned about insulation already fitted through a government scheme, it points to its own guidance on what to do.
Who it is for
- Gov.uk says you might be eligible if you live in private housing and receive one of: Universal Credit, Pension Guarantee Credit, Pension Savings Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Child Benefit or Housing Benefit.
- If you own your home, gov.uk says it must have an energy efficiency rating of D, E, F or G. If you rent from a private landlord it must be E, F or G, and you need the owner's permission for the work.
- Social housing tenants in a home rated E, F or G might be eligible for help with insulation or a first heating system (gov.uk). Check your property's rating on the energy performance certificate register.
Grants and savings
- ECO4 can help with the cost of insulation work, such as loft or cavity walls, and replacing or repairing a boiler or other heating upgrades (gov.uk).
- Funding depends on the scheme and your supplier, and the end date of 31 December 2026 applies to the scheme as a whole. Source pages read on 5 October 2026; check the current position with your council or supplier before relying on it.
How to choose an installer
- ECO retrofits are quality-assured through TrustMark, the government-endorsed quality scheme for domestic retrofits (Ofgem). Ask for the installer's TrustMark registration.
- Check any unsolicited offer with your local council or the supplier named, as gov.uk advises, before agreeing to work.
- If you are unhappy with other work or products installed under the scheme, gov.uk says to contact the installer or the company that guaranteed the work, and then Citizens Advice if it is not resolved.
Frequently asked questions
When does ECO4 end?
Ofgem says ECO4 applies to measures installed from 1 April 2022 and will run until 31 December 2026, following a nine-month extension.
Do I apply to VettedHome for ECO4 help?
No. Gov.uk says to contact your local council or an energy supplier. VettedHome explains the scheme but does not apply on your behalf.
Is the Great British Insulation Scheme still open?
No. It closed on 31 March 2026 and is not being extended (see the energy grants hub for the sources).
How do I check my home's energy efficiency rating?
Gov.uk says to use the energy performance certificate register to find your property's rating, or ask your landlord.
Sources
Editor, VettedHome
Adam leads VettedHome's editorial coverage of UK home services. He is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose, the commercial strategy and modern systems business behind a portfolio of UK information sites, and he researches and writes the plain-English guides that help homeowners choose between installers and trades, drawing on the standards set by the relevant bodies for each job, such as Gas Safe Register, NICEIC, MCS, TrustMark and the Property Care Association. He is clear about what to check before any work starts.
Last updated: