ECO4 Grant 2026: Am I Eligible?

ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation 4) is a UK government scheme that requires large energy suppliers to fund energy efficiency improvements for eligible low-income and vulnerable households. Under ECO4, eligible homeowners and tenants can receive fully funded or heavily subsidised measures including heat pumps, solar panels, insulation (cavity, loft, solid wall), and storage heaters. The scheme runs until December 2026.

You may be eligible if you receive one of these qualifying benefits: Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Child Benefit (income-dependent), Income-based JSA/ESA, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, or Housing Benefit. You must also live in a property with an EPC rating of D, E, F or G. Owner-occupiers and private renters can both apply.

ECO4 Flex allows local authorities and energy suppliers to refer households who do not receive qualifying benefits but are still fuel-poor or living in low-income, high-cost homes. Each local authority has a referral budget. Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk councils all operate ECO4 Flex schemes — contact your local council or contact us to check eligibility.

Eligible measures include: air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, first-time central heating, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation (internal or external), room-in-roof insulation, underfloor insulation, storage heaters, solar PV, and smart heating controls. Which measures you receive depends on your home's specific heat loss and EPC band.

Yes. Solar PV is an eligible measure under ECO4, although it is typically offered as a secondary measure (bundled with insulation or a heat pump) rather than as a standalone measure. Solar is more common under ECO4 Flex and local authority referral routes. Contact us to check whether your property qualifies for solar under the scheme.

ECO4 runs until December 2026. After this date, the scheme will either transition to ECO5 (under the Warm Homes Plan framework) or close temporarily. Acting before December 2026 ensures you can access funding under the current, well-established scheme rules.

From initial eligibility check to installation typically takes 6–12 weeks, depending on the measures recommended and surveyor availability. Simple measures like loft insulation can be installed within 4–6 weeks. Heat pump installations under ECO4 take longer due to additional technical requirements and MCS compliance.

Yes. Private tenants can apply for ECO4, but the landlord must consent to the installation work. If you are a tenant in an EPC D-G property and receive qualifying benefits, you can apply — we can help facilitate the landlord conversation. Landlords should also be aware that ECO4 can help them meet their EPC C by 2030 obligation at no cost.