The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Great British Insulation Scheme are government initiatives that aim to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty by improving the energy efficiency of our homes.
They are administered by government and the energy companies. Norwich City Council is not responsible for issuing funding, appointing or recommending contractors, or installing/quality controlling works.
Both schemes are funded through an obligation set on large energy suppliers to deliver a certain number of energy efficiency improvements to domestic households. The eligibility criteria for each of these schemes, and what measures you might be able to receive, varies between the two schemes.
Great British Insulation Scheme
Under this scheme, you may be eligible to get free or cheaper insulation to improve the energy efficiency of your home, reducing both your energy bills and carbon emissions.
You may be eligible for support if your home:
- has an energy performance certificate (EPC) of D to G – check your EPC on Gov.uk
- is in Council Tax bands A-D – check your band on Gov.uk
Contrary to previous schemes, there are no income requirements for the Great British Insulation Scheme. Homeowners, landlords, and tenants are eligible to apply for the scheme. If you’re a tenant, you’ll need your landlord’s permission before any insulation can be installed.
You might be eligible to receive:
- cavity wall insulation
- solid wall insulation (internal or external)
- loft insulation
- flat or pitched roof insulation
- underfloor insulation
- solid floor insulation
Are you eligible?
To check if you can get support, you’ll need to either complete the government’s online web form or call their helpline to speak to an advisor. Full details are available on their website.
Check your eligibility and apply on Gov.uk
If you are eligible, your energy provider will contact you directly. The first step will be an assessment of your home to check what type of insulation would be most beneficial. Your energy company will arrange this for you.
ECO
Are you eligible?
Low-income households who are in fuel poverty qualify for ECO funding. If you receive benefits and live in a property with a low energy efficiency rating, then you can apply directly through an energy supplier. Funding is only available for private owner occupiers and private rented tenants.
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 saving credit
It is important to note that eligibility for ECO does not necessarily guarantee the ability to receive energy efficiency measures in your home.
What improvements could you qualify for?
If eligible, the specific measures that would benefit your home would be determined by a retrofit assessment. This would then identify a package of improvements suitable for your property.
If you meet the criteria and your house is found needing energy efficiency upgrades, you could qualify for any of the improvements listed below. This is not a full list and other improvements might be available depending on the installer.
- Loft insulation
- Roof insulation
- Cavity wall insulation
- External wall insulation
- Internal wall insulation
- Floor insulation (solid or suspended floors)
- Gas boilers
- Electric boilers
- Heating controls
- Electric storage heaters
- Solar PV panels
- Draught proofing
It’s important to note that eligibility does not guarantee that you will be able to receive any of the above measures; what measures you are eligible for is determined by a range of factors and the outcome of the retrofit assessment.
What to do next
If you meet any of the above criteria, contacting your energy provider – or any of the obligated suppliers – is the best place to start. Your energy provider will be able to tell you whether you’re eligible for the scheme, and what support you might be able to receive.
You could also contact an installer directly, though not all installers will be able to administer the ECO funding, and so we would recommend contacting your energy company first. Find a registered installer on the Trustmark website.
You can find out more about what ECO means for homeowners and tenants on the Ofgem website.
What if you're not happy with the installation?
All installers participating in the Great British Insulation Scheme or ECO4 should be Trustmark registered. When receiving works on your house, you should check with the installer if they provide any guarantees or warranties on the installation and make sure you are provided with these and any other associated paperwork upon completion of an install.
If you’re not happy with an installation, initial complaints should be made with the company who undertook the work. If problems persist, you should contact Trustmark.
