Energy Company Obligation
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Great British Insulation scheme (GBIS) obligates large energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency improvements to domestic households.
View documents about the Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent.
What is ECO4?
ECO4 is the fourth round of the Government's ECO scheme which aims to improve the least energy efficient homes in Great Britain in an effort to reduce fuel poverty.
What is available under ECO4?
ECO4 is a funding scheme for energy-saving measures including insulation and heating for low-income and vulnerable households. ECO4 operates on a fabric first approach meaning that insulation will need to be installed before considering the installation of renewable heating. You will be advised by your selected ECO installer/supplier about eligible measures.
What is GBIS?
The Great British Insulation Scheme was introduced alongside ECO4 to install single insulation works instead of "whole house" improvements offered under ECO4.
How do I access ECO4 or GBIS?
To qualify for the ECO4 or GBIS scheme you or someone living in the property must be in receipt of certain benefits and be the owner-occupier or privately rent your property. You will then need to contact a participating energy supplier, a list of which can be found on Ofgem’s website.
Installers must be TrustMark accredited. If you are contacted by an installer, always check their registration credentials. You can check these on the TrustMark website.
Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee the installation of measures. This will depend on the energy suppliers and their contractors.
Find out more about ECOECO4 Flexible Eligibility
ECO4 Flexible Eligibility was introduced as a route for vulnerable and low-income households who are not in receipt of the benefits listed.
South Norfolk and Broadland Council's participate in ECO Flex to verify eligibility for ECO4 and have set out the eligibility criteria in our Statement of Intent.
The Council's do not endorse any ECO installer and will process a Flex request on the Applicant’s behalf.
To begin the ECO Flex process, the Applicant can request an Assessment Form from our team stating which eligibility route you meet. Eligibility routes are listed on the Statement of Intent.
To complete the Assessment Form, you’ll need:
- Contact details and TrustMark registration number of your selected ECO installer
- Supporting documents to confirm you meet the selected eligibility route. For example, if you have selected Route 1, we will require 3 months of recent bank statements from all accounts and from all adult occupants. Your request cannot be processed until all documentation is provided.
Once your eligibility has been confirmed:
- We will contact your selected ECO installer to confirm what measure(s) are to be installed in the property.
- We will submit a notification to Ofgem for their approval.
- Once approved, we will issue a declaration directly to your selected ECO installer to confirm your eligibility for ECO funding.
At this point, the Councils have fulfilled their role in verifying eligibility for ECO4 and it is the responsibility of your selected ECO installer to advise on next steps.