ECO4 FAQs
What is ECO4?
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is a government energy efficiency scheme. It obligates large and medium energy suppliers to provide funding towards the cost of insulation and energy efficient heating solutions. These funds all contribute to a warmer, more efficient home whilst tackling issues of fuel poverty.
Who is involved?
Large and medium energy suppliers are required by the government to fund and install a number of energy efficiency measures such as insulation and heating upgrades to support vulnerable, fuel poor and low-income households to heat their homes. Ofgem has been appointed the scheme administrator for ECO4 on behalf of the government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Any installer, who has access to ECO4 funds from energy suppliers, may choose to offer ECO4 in Coventry, for this reason you may be approached by multiple installers offering this funding. Unfortunately, the Council cannot recommend specific installers or control which installers choose to operate in Coventry. We would therefore advise speaking to a number of installers to understand which installer suits your requirements. Things you may wish to take into consideration are; the measures they are able to install, the amount of funding they can offer you, level of customer service, and quality of previous works.
What is the Council’s involvement in ECO4?
In line with Ofgem’s guidance, local authorities have the option to widen the ECO4 eligibility criteria within their area. Coventry City Council has opted to extend the eligibility criteria to enable more vulnerable and low-income households, who are not in receipt of benefits, to be eligible for this support. This eligibility route is called ECO Flex and the details of these eligibility criteria can be found in a local authority’s Statement of Intent. The Council will sign off applications from installers for households who meet the ECO Flex criteria. The Council does not have oversight over this scheme, nor can it guarantee the quality of work from your chosen installer or that an installer will choose to offer you ECO funding, even if you meet the ECO4 eligibility criteria.
What is the difference between ECO4 and The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)?
Unlike ECO4 and ECO4 Flex, the Great British Insulation Scheme delivers single insulation measures rather than following a whole house, multi-measure approach. Find out more information on GBIS.
Who is eligible for ECO4/GBIS?
The ECO scheme supports energy efficiency measures in the home of those considered to be in fuel poverty, based on receipt of 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 Savings Credit
If you are not in receipt of benefits, you could still be eligible via ECO4 Flex. The eligibility criteria for this route can found in Coventry City Council’s ECO4 and GBIS Statement of Intent.
Please note that meeting the scheme eligibility criteria does not guarantee that an installer will choose to offer you ECO funding. This will be dependent on the type of property you live in, the measure mix you are looking for and the amount of funding available to the installer you have chosen.
Are there any costs for me as a resident?
In some cases, you may be asked to contribute to the cost of the works where the ECO funding available to your installer is not able to fully fund them. This is because different installers may provide different levels of support towards the installation of energy efficiency or heating measures. If you are asked to contribute to the cost of the installation, we would advise speaking to a number of different installers to ensure you are satisfied with any offer made.
The Council receive no payment for the ECO4 scheme nor do we offer ECO4 funding to residents.
When and where do I sign up and how does the process work?
ECO4 is an installer lead scheme therefore we would advise speaking to a number of different installers to understand if, and the level of support, they are able to offer you through ECO4.
Installers will check your eligibility. This may be done by checking your income via bank statements, payslips and benefit checks. A survey may also be done of your property to check the suitability of your home for the measures you are interested in. Installers will then be able to make a decision as to whether they can offer you support through ECO4 and if any contribution will be required.
For applications that are eligible through ECO Flex, the installer will need to send these and qualifying evidence to Coventry City Council for verification. We will only sign off eligible ECO Flex applications from E.ON or installers who have been onboarded by our ECO Flex managing agent, Agility Eco. These installers have been checked to meet scheme requirements and minimum standards. We would advise speaking to a number of these installers to understand if they are able to offer ECO funding for the measures you are interested in.
Where an installer has access to ECO4 funding, any installer can offer ECO4 funding to residents however only E.ON or installers onboarded by AgilityEco can offer ECO funding through the EcoFlex eligibility routes in Coventry.
What should I consider when choosing an installer?
You may be contacted by a number of installers looking to offer you ECO4 funding. Unfortunately, not all of these companies are necessarily legitimate or able to deliver the works to a high standard. It is important to choose a supplier that you are confident can deliver the works to your requirements. Some things to consider when choosing an installer are:
- Does the installer have good reviews?
- Has the installer completed satisfactory work for neighbours nearby?
- Does the installer have the appropriate credentials for example, gas installers should be Gas Safe registered. Insulation installers should by Trustmark registered.
- Is the installer able to offer you ECO funding or is there an owner contribution?
- If you are eligible through ECO Flex, is the installer listed on our website to be able to process these applications?
How do I know my home is suitable for this scheme?
It is important to note that eligibility for ECO doesn’t necessarily mean that an energy supplier or installer will decide to install energy efficiency measures in your home. A home survey/retrofit assessment will be needed to assess your home’s suitability for the scheme.
Moreover, you must own your own home or have permission from your landlord, including if the property is owned by a social housing provider or management company.
Is there any other support to help me with my home and/or to tackle fuel poverty?
Act On Energy is commissioned by the Council to provide affordable warmth advice for Coventry residents. They can support you with advice on energy bills and grants available to make your home more energy efficient. They can also support you to apply if needed. You can reach their free advice line on 0800 988 2881 or visit Act On Energy | Award-Winning Energy Advice Charity.
You can also check which energy efficiency grants and support you may be eligible for using our online grant checker.
If you have any more questions, please email eco@coventry.gov.uk or visit Energy Company Obligation (ECO).