ECO4, explained without the spin

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) requires large energy suppliers to pay for energy-efficiency improvements in lower-income and vulnerable households. ECO4 is the current phase. It runs until 31 December 2026.

What ECO4 can fund

ECO4 takes a "whole house" approach. Most of its funding goes to insulation and heating upgrades - loft and cavity insulation, heating controls, and heat pumps. Solar PV is an eligible measure, but it's a minority of the work delivered under the scheme (roughly one in twenty measures installed). We focus on the cases where solar genuinely fits.

Who qualifies for funded solar

Three conditions need to line up:

• Electric heating. This is the big one. Solar PV is funded under ECO4 only where your home is heated by electricity - for example a heat pump or high heat-retention electric storage heaters. If you have a mains gas boiler, ECO4 will not fund solar for your home.
• An EPC rating of D to G. Your home's Energy Performance Certificate must be band D, E, F or G. The scheme is designed to lift homes to at least band C, and suppliers tend to prioritise the worst-rated homes first.
• A qualifying benefit (or LA Flex). Someone in the household must receive one of the 16 qualifying means-tested benefits. If no one does, your local council may still be able to refer you through Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex), which covers low-income or vulnerable households.

Who decides?

Energy suppliers, not us and not you, decide which measures they fund. Meeting the criteria above puts you in a strong position, but it is not a guarantee. We are always honest about this - anyone who promises "guaranteed approval" is not being straight with you.

Is it really free?

Often, yes. Under ECO4 the obligated supplier funds eligible measures, so there's frequently no cost to the household. But the installer decides, after a survey, whether your system is fully funded or whether a contribution is needed - it depends on your roof and the size of system involved. There is never any charge from us for checking your eligibility.

What happens on 31 December 2026?

ECO4 closes at the end of 2026. (You may also see the date 31 March 2026 mentioned online - that's the separate Great British Insulation Scheme, not ECO4.) After ECO4, the government's Warm Homes Plan is expected to follow, and privately-paid solar remains attractive thanks to 0% VAT and the Smart Export Guarantee. We'll help you act while ECO4 is still open.

---

In short: ECO4 can fund solar for electrically-heated homes on a qualifying benefit, rated EPC D to G, until 31 December 2026. If that's you, it's well worth checking. If it isn't, we'll tell you and show you the alternatives.