ECO4 explained: your complete 2026 guide to the grant

What is ECO4?

ECO4 stands for the fourth phase of the Energy Company Obligation — a long-running UK government scheme that places a legal duty on larger energy suppliers to fund energy-efficiency and heating improvements in homes that need them most. It is often searched for as the "ECO4 grant" or "ECO4 scheme", but there is no cash payment: the value comes as free or fully funded work on your home.

ECO4 began in April 2022 and follows earlier phases (ECO1, ECO2 and ECO3). It introduced a "whole-house" approach, which means measures are chosen to lift a property's overall energy performance — typically by at least two EPC bands where the home allows — rather than fitting one item in isolation.

The scheme is administered by Ofgem, the energy regulator, which sets the rules and checks that suppliers meet their obligation. There is no central government form to fill in: approved installers deliver the funded measures on behalf of the obligated suppliers, which is why applications usually start with an eligibility check rather than a government website.

ECO4 covers England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own, separate home-energy schemes and is not covered by ECO4.

Who funds ECO4 — and is it really free?

This is the question most people actually have: who is paying, and what is the catch? The honest answer is that ECO4 is funded by large energy suppliers, not by your council tax or a government cheque. Suppliers above a set customer threshold are legally required to deliver a share of the overall energy-saving target, and they recover the cost through their wider business — so for an eligible household the work is genuinely free, with no repayment.

The obligation falls on the bigger licensed suppliers. Names that have delivered ECO measures include British Gas, EDF, E.ON Next, OVO, ScottishPower and Octopus Energy, among other larger suppliers above the threshold. Importantly, you do not have to be a customer of any particular supplier to benefit — eligibility is about your household and your home, not who sends your bill.

Because the money flows from suppliers rather than a public grant pot, ECO4 is best thought of as an obligation the industry has to meet, delivered locally by installers. That structure is also why funding is finite each year and why genuine ECO4 work is never charged to the household up front.

Who qualifies for ECO4?

There are two main routes into ECO4. Most households qualify through means-tested benefits; others qualify without benefits through their council under LA Flex. In both cases the property usually needs to be less energy-efficient (an EPC rating of D to G).

Route 1 — qualifying benefits

You may be eligible if someone in the household receives one of the following:

• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income Support
• Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Warm Home Discount (core group)

See the full breakdown, including income thresholds where they apply, on our ECO4 eligibility guide and the Universal Credit and pensioner pages.

Route 2 — LA Flex (no benefits needed)

If you do not claim a qualifying benefit, you may still get in through Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex). Under this route your council sets its own criteria — usually based on low income, fuel poverty, or a health condition made worse by living in a cold home — and refers eligible households to the scheme. Because each council publishes its own rules, LA Flex is the route many "I don't get benefits, can I still get help?" households need. Read the full explainer on our LA Flex scheme guide.

Property and tenure

• Your home is normally in England, Scotland or Wales with an EPC rating of D, E, F or G.
• You can be an owner-occupier, or a private tenant with your landlord's written permission (landlords should read energy grants for landlords).
• The exact measures depend on a technical survey of your property.

What does ECO4 cover?

ECO4 funds a broad range of insulation and heating measures. Because it uses the whole-house approach, most homes receive a package — for example insulation plus a heating upgrade — rather than a single item. The measures your home is offered are decided by the survey.

A few points worth knowing:

• Heating comes with rules. A broken boiler can usually be repaired or replaced, but ECO4 also encourages a move away from inefficient heating toward low-carbon options such as heat pumps where suitable.
• Solar is usually part of a package, not a standalone giveaway — see free solar panels on benefits for how that works.
• Windows and doors are commonly asked about. ECO4 focuses on insulation and heating; glazing is generally only supported as a secondary measure alongside qualifying work, not on its own.

For typical values, savings and a full measure-by-measure table, see the ECO4 scheme page.

How to apply for ECO4

There is no single "apply for ECO4" button on GOV.UK. In practice the route looks like this:

1. Check eligibility using our free eligibility checker — it takes about a minute and covers both the benefits and LA Flex routes.
2. Get matched to an approved installer working with obligated suppliers in your area.
3. Home survey — a qualified assessor visits and recommends the measures that will most improve your home's efficiency.
4. Approval and scheduling — once the supplier signs off, installation is booked at a time that suits you.
5. Installation and quality check — work is carried out by TrustMark-registered installers to PAS standards, with an independent check where required.

For a fuller walkthrough see how to apply for ECO4. Genuine ECO4 work is never charged to the household up front — if anyone asks for money before the work, treat it as a warning sign.

When does ECO4 end? The 2026 deadline

ECO4 is scheduled to close on 31 December 2026. This is a nine-month extension: the scheme was originally due to end on 31 March 2026, and the extension was confirmed following a government consultation in 2025. That gives eligible households more time — but not unlimited time.

Two things make acting early sensible. First, supplier budgets are finite each year, so popular measures can run short before the official end date. Second, installer capacity tightens as a scheme nears its close. If you are eligible now, applying sooner gives the best chance of getting the full package surveyed and installed. For more on how availability varies by area, see our research on the ECO4 postcode lottery and the ECO4 scheme page.

What happens after ECO4 ends?

The government has signalled that support for home energy efficiency will continue beyond ECO4, under its wider Warm Homes Plan — but a direct "ECO5" successor has not been confirmed, and any future scheme could set different rules. In the meantime, other routes already run past 2026:

• Warm Homes: Local Grant — delivered by local councils in England to lower-income households (broadly a household income of £36,000 or less, or in the most deprived areas) in less-efficient homes; it runs to March 2028.
• Boiler Upgrade Scheme — a grant of £7,500 towards a heat pump for homeowners, open regardless of benefits.
• Warm Home Discount — an annual rebate off your electricity bill for eligible households.

Because eligibility and timing differ, it is worth checking which live route fits your household now rather than waiting for a scheme that may not arrive. Compare the options on our government energy grants hub.

ECO4 vs other grants

ECO4 is the broadest scheme, but it is not the only one — and you can sometimes combine them (just not to fund the same measure twice). Quick comparisons:

• ECO4 vs the Boiler Upgrade Scheme — benefits-led whole-house funding versus an open £7,500 heat-pump grant.
• ECO4 vs the Great British Insulation Scheme — note the GBIS referral route closed to new applications on 31 March 2026, which is why the LA Flex route now matters more for no-benefits households.