ECO4
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government energy efficiency scheme in Great Britain designed to tackle fuel poverty and help reduce carbon emissions. Through ECO4, the government had allocated £4 billion towards the installation of measures on UK homes until March 2026.
The scheme has seen 4 iterations, ECO, ECO1, ECO2 and ECO3. A brief overview can be found at the bottom of this page. The ECO3 scheme closed on 31 March 2022 and the ECO4 Order came into force in July 2022. ECO4 applies to measures installed from 1 April 2022 and will cover a four-year period until 31 March 2026.
How the ECO scheme works
The ECO scheme works by placing a Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation (HHCRO) on medium and large energy suppliers. Under HHCRO, obligated suppliers must promote measures that improve the ability of low-income, fuel-poor and vulnerable households to heat their homes. This includes actions that result in reduced energy usage, such as installing insulation or upgrading a heating system. The overall target for these measures is divided between suppliers based on their relative share of the domestic gas and electricity market.
Who the scheme is for
The ECO scheme supports energy efficiency measures in the home of those considered to be in fuel poverty. If you’re a homeowner or tenant you can contact any of the obligated energy suppliers to find out how they may be able to help you benefit from the ECO scheme, even if they are not your energy provider.
Contact the Obligated Energy Suppliers
Eligibility
You could be eligible for ECO if you receive at least one of the following benefits:
- Child Benefit
- Pension Guarantee Credit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Tax Credits (Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits)
- Universal Credit
- Housing benefit
- Pension Credit Savings Credit
It is important to note that eligibility for ECO doesn’t necessarily mean that an energy supplier or installer will decide to install energy efficiency measures in your home.
This general part of the scheme is not managed in any way by Rotherham Council, but by OFGEM, energy companies and private installers.