ECO4 ends 31 December 2026 — what replaces it in Southampton City
ECO4 has been extended once, to 31 December 2026, so suppliers can finish existing targets and fix faulty installs only. There are no new targets, no carry-over and no ECO5. The Great British Insulation Scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2026.
In England the replacement for low-income households is the Warm Homes: Local Grant — a £500m scheme delivered by councils and their appointed installers from April 2025 to March 2028, for privately owned and privately rented homes rated EPC D to G where the council is taking part. Owner-occupiers can have insulation, heating and solar fully funded. Tenants pay nothing; a landlord gets one home fully funded, then contributes 50% from the second.
One of these three routes must apply:
- Household income of £36,000 a year or less before tax; or
- Someone in the home gets one of: Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance; or
- The home is in a postcode the government lists as among the most deprived (IMD deciles 1–2).
On top of one of those routes, the home must be rated EPC D to G and you must be an owner-occupier or a private tenant (with your landlord's consent — rented homes rated F or G need a registered MEES exemption). Social housing is not eligible.
Over 97% of eligible councils in England (271) are funded to deliver it, but funding and timing vary by area, and your council will usually contact you within 10 working days of a referral.
Check the Warm Homes route for Southampton City →You can also apply directly through the government's checker on GOV.UK.
Not eligible, or paying yourself? The Boiler Upgrade Scheme takes £7,500 off an air source or ground source heat pump for most homeowners replacing fossil-fuel heating in England and Wales, with no income test and no EPC needed since 28 April 2026 (£9,000 for an air or ground source heat pump in oil- or LPG-heated homes with no mains gas connection, until 31 March 2027). The £150 Warm Home Discount comes off your electricity bill again this winter, and if you are buying solar, 0% VAT applies until 31 March 2027 — get a solar quote from one MCS-certified installer. Need a like-for-like gas boiler? The Warm Homes: Local Grant cannot fund new gas boilers, so outside ECO4 you would pay an installer’s quote — ask your council about any emergency heating fund.
Available Grants in Southampton City
Residents in the Southampton City Council area can access several government-funded energy efficiency schemes. Here's what's currently available:
ECO4 Scheme
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) can fully fund energy improvements for households receiving qualifying benefits (installers sometimes ask for a top-up). Measures include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, boiler replacements, solar panels, and air source heat pumps. Your property needs an EPC rating of D, E, F, or G.
Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
The GBIS closed to new applications on 31 March 2026 — if you don't claim benefits, check LA Flex and the Warm Homes: Local Grant instead. Until it closed, GBIS provided free or heavily subsidised insulation to properties in council tax bands A-D (England). No means test is required — eligibility is based on your property, not your income.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump (£5,000 for a biomass boiler). Available to homeowners in England and Wales replacing fossil-fuel heating, with no income test (a valid EPC has not been required since 28 April 2026).
Warm Home Discount
A £150 discount on your electricity bill each winter. Most eligible households receive this automatically.
EPC Ratings in Southampton City
Based on our analysis of 100 recent EPC assessments in the Southampton City Council area:
Rating Distribution
40.0% of assessed properties in this area have an EPC rating of D or below, making them potentially eligible for ECO4 energy improvements. This is around the national average.
Property Types
| Type | Share |
|---|---|
| House | 49.0% |
| Flat | 43.0% |
| Maisonette | 4.0% |
| Bungalow | 4.0% |
LA Flex Eligibility — Southampton City
LA Flex is a council route into ECO4, so it closes with ECO4 on 31 December 2026. The closest route after that — and open now — is the Warm Homes: Local Grant (household income £36,000 or less, no benefits needed).
Even if you don't receive qualifying benefits, you may still qualify for ECO4 through the Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex) route. Each council sets its own criteria.
Southampton City Council — LA Flex
Southampton's Healthy Homes programme provides LA Flex referrals alongside health intervention pathways. Focus on Shirley, Millbrook, and Freemantle.
How to Apply
- Check your eligibility — Enter your postcode above or use our eligibility checker
- Get matched with installers — We'll connect you with TrustMark-registered, PAS 2030/2035-certified installers in Southampton City
- Free home survey — An assessor visits to evaluate your property and recommend measures
- Installation — Approved contractors carry out the work, usually within 4-8 weeks
📋 Sources & Data
- EPC data sourced from Open EPC Register (DLUHC)
- Ofgem — ECO4 Programme Data
- DESNZ — Household Energy Efficiency Statistics
- LA Flex criteria sourced from Southampton City Council published guidance
- Last verified: 4 March 2026