The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) was, for years, one of the main ways
low-income and vulnerable households got help with insulation and heating.
It’s important to be clear about where it stands now — because a lot of
out-of-date information is still circulating.
What ECO4 was
ECO4 required larger energy suppliers to fund energy-efficiency measures —
insulation, and in some cases heating repairs or replacements — for eligible
households, often at no cost. ECO Flex (Local Authority
Flexible Eligibility) let councils refer households that didn’t meet the
standard benefit criteria but were still in fuel poverty or vulnerable.
ECO4 has now closed to new applications
ECO4 is no longer open to new applications. Work already
approved is being completed, but you can’t start a fresh ECO4 claim. If you’ve
been told you can still “apply for ECO4”, be cautious — and see our dedicated
guide,
ECO4 has closed: what to do now.
What help replaces it
The good news is that other schemes remain. The
Warm Homes: Local Grant supports
lower-income owners in England, the Great British Insulation Scheme runs until
31 March 2026, and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme helps with heat pumps. See
home energy grants you can still get.
What to do next
Don’t rely on ECO4 — check the schemes that are still open on our
Grants and funding hub, and be wary of anyone still
selling “ECO4 grants”.
Sources
Ofgem (Energy Company Obligation); GOV.UK (Warm Homes: Local Grant; Great
British Insulation Scheme). Reviewed: 3 September 2026.
ECO4 has closed to new applications — here's the help you can get now
ECO4 is no longer open to new applications. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the Warm Homes: Local Grant have taken its place. See what to do now, or browse the grants you can still get.