Grant Eligibility Criteria
ECO4 Eligibility Criteria
Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is a government energy-efficiency scheme in Great Britain, designed to tackle fuel poverty and help reduce carbon emissions. ECO is an obligation placed on energy companies to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises.
ECO4 focusses on improving the least energy efficient homes and households in fuel poverty, as only properties in bands D-G can be treated. Furthermore, a minimum number of private tenure homes in energy efficiency rating band E, F and G must be upgraded throughout ECO4, ensuring the least efficient homes are treated.
The ECO4 scheme will run until 31 March 2026.
ECO4 Qualifying Benefits:
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support (Is)
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Working Tax Credit (WTC)
- Child Tax Credits (CTC)
- Universal Credit (UC)
- Housing Benefit (new eligible benefit for ECO4)
- Pension Credit Savings Credit (new eligible benefit for EC04)
- Child Benefit (subject to income caps and composition)
Social Housing properties with EPC ratings of E, F or G can qualify for ECO funding regardless of the resident’s benefits eligibility. The measures available however, are limited to insulation and first time central heating systems.
*Additional conditions are required to qualify for ECO grants.
Additional Conditions for Child Benefit
To qualify for ECO grants using Child Benefit, your annual gross income from all sources before taxes must be below or equal to the following criteria:
| Type of claimant | Number of children or qualifying young persons | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 or more | |
| Single claimant | £19,900 | £24,800 | £29,600 | £34,500 |
| Member of a couple | £27,500 | £32,300 | £37,200 | £42,000 |
*The children must be under 16 years old and living in the property. The age requirement can be increased to below 21 years of age if they are in approved education or training.
*Income is determined based on the preceding annual tax year which runs from the April to 5th April of the following year.
FAQ's
Enhance your home’s energy efficiency and potentially qualify for the ECO4 scheme with Saviour Energy Solutions. Our comprehensive understanding of the ECO4 eligibility criteria ensures we can guide you through the qualification process effortlessly. Discover how you could benefit from energy-saving upgrades today.
Discover Your ECO4 Eligibility:
- Qualify Through the Help to Heat Group:
Unlock ECO4 benefits by belonging to the Help to Heat Group. If you’re residing in private domestic premises and meet one of the following conditions, you might be eligible:
– Receiving Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, or Income Support
– Benefiting from Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit)
– Availing of Working or Child Tax Credit
– Enrolled in Universal Credit or Housing Benefit
– Meeting specific income thresholds for Child Benefit
Moreover, eligibility extends to those receiving the Warm Home Discount (Core Group 1 and 2 in England and Wales, or Core Group in Scotland). For households with disabilities, eligibility hinges on meeting means-tested benefit criteria or qualification through ECO4 Flex’s inclusive routes.
- Reside in Energy-Inefficient Social Housing:
Living in social housing with an EPC rating of D to G could make you eligible for ECO4 benefits, focusing on:
– Insulation upgrades
– Installation of first-time central heating
– Switching to renewable heating (excluding replacements of the same kind)
– Connections to district heating networks
– Innovative energy-saving measures
For homes rated EPC D, eligibility is restricted to innovative and insulation measures that meet minimum insulation requirements.
- ECO4 Flex: Local Authority-Led Eligibility
ECO4 Flex allows local authorities, alongside Scottish and Welsh Governments and suppliers, to pinpoint households that align with specific eligibility criteria. While qualification under ECO4 Flex offers potential access to energy-saving measures, it doesn’t guarantee installation. The decision rests with energy suppliers, who determine project funding, Retrofit Coordinator collaboration, and installer partnerships. For detailed inquiries about your eligibility and the retrofitting process, contacting your energy supplier is highly recommended.
At Saviour Energy Solutions, we’re dedicated to empowering homeowners with the knowledge and resources to enhance their home’s energy efficiency. Contact us to explore how you can navigate the ECO4 scheme and make impactful energy-saving upgrades to your home.
The ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation) grant is a UK government initiative aimed at reducing carbon emissions and tackling fuel poverty by improving the energy efficiency of domestic properties. The ECO4 scheme, which succeeds its predecessors (ECO, ECO2, and ECO3), focuses on supporting low-income households and those living in energy-inefficient homes. The grant covers various energy-saving measures, including but not limited to:
Insulation: This can include loft, cavity wall, underfloor, and solid wall insulation. Insulation is a key component of the scheme as it helps to reduce heat loss, keeping homes warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
Heating Upgrades: The grant may cover the cost of upgrading or installing new, more energy-efficient heating systems. This could include more efficient boilers, heat pumps, or first-time central heating systems for homes that previously relied on inefficient or non-central heating sources.
Renewable Energy Technologies: In some cases, ECO4 may support the installation of renewable energy solutions such as solar thermal panels or certain types of heat pumps, which can provide a sustainable and cost-effective source of heating and hot water.
Secondary Measures: Depending on the primary measures installed, households may also qualify for secondary energy-saving improvements. These could include energy-efficient doors and windows, draught-proofing, and heating controls that improve the efficiency and usability of the home’s heating system.
Innovative Solutions: ECO4 also encourages the use of innovative products and solutions that contribute to energy efficiency. These could be newer technologies or materials that have a significant impact on reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.
It’s important to note that while the ECO4 grant covers a wide range of measures, eligibility for specific improvements will depend on various factors, including the property’s current energy efficiency, the household’s income, and whether the property is privately owned or social housing. Local authorities may also have discretion under the ECO4 Flex mechanism to identify households that could benefit from the scheme, even if they don’t meet the standard national eligibility criteria.
Under the ECO4 scheme, you may be eligible for assistance with boiler repairs, replacements, or upgrades. To qualify for a replacement due to a malfunction, the boiler at your premises must have been efficient, suffered a breakdown, and deemed uneconomical to repair just before the installation. It’s important to note that ECO4 imposes a limit on the number of efficient broken heating systems that can be replaced.
However, the scheme provides flexibility for other heating improvements beyond this cap, including:
Installation of First Time Central Heating (FTCH) systems for homes without existing central heating.
Upgrades to your current heating system to enhance efficiency.
Transition to a renewable heating system for a more sustainable energy source.
Connections to district heating networks for centralized heat supply.
Implementation of innovative heating measures to explore new energy solutions.
Addition of heating controls to optimise your heating system’s performance.
When considering upgrades, it’s crucial to understand that they are permissible only if the existing boiler is deemed inefficient (typically non-condensing). If your boiler is still efficient, it may qualify for a direct replacement, but this is subject to the scheme’s overall cap on replacing efficient, broken heating systems.