Opportunities with energy efficiency: what is ECO4 funding and how can you access it?

Available to many but often underutilised, the ECO4 scheme allows people across the UK to access grants and funding to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

With winter nearly upon us and energy bills on the rise yet again, people across the UK are understandably concerned over the cost of keeping warm in the own homes during the cold months ahead.

While there are several ways to improve the energy efficiency of your homes, many people see features such as solar panels, roof insulation and an upgraded boiler as being out of reach financially. However, ECO Providers, a government-backed company that specialises in energy efficiency, is spreading awareness of an under-utilised funding scheme that will allow more people to improve their homes.

Launched in 2022, ECO4 grants are available to people claiming certain benefits and can be used to help make UK homes more energy efficient. Homeowners can use this funding to improve insulation and heating, allowing them to make changes to their homes without having to break the bank.

The grants are the latest phase of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme that was introduced back in 2013. ECO places legal obligations on larger energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises. This focuses on insulation and heating, with the wider aim of reducing carbon emissions, maintaining the security of the energy supply and reducing fuel poverty.

ECO Providers is delighted to be able to offer this scheme to customers, but with the grants only set to run until 2026, we are urging anyone interested to apply soon to take advantage of this funding.

Grants may be available to those claiming Income Support, Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Pension Credit, Income related ESA, Income related JSA or Universal Credit. To see if you are eligible for the scheme, please click here.

ECO Providers said,

“At ECO Providers, we completely understand how difficult it can be to make the necessary changes to your home to improve its overall energy efficiency. For this reason, we are encouraging people to take full advantage of the ECO4 grants to help them access measures that may previously been out of reach.”

For those not in receipt of the listed benefits but are in a low household income and live in a property with a low Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, ECO Providers can still help.

The ECO4 grants allow energy companies to deliver up to 25% of their obligation via ‘flexible eligibility’. Local authorities publish a statement of intent on their website to outline criteria for homeowners and tenants to qualify for funding outside the list of qualifying benefits.

ECO Providers said,

“Here at ECO Providers, we are working very closely with many local authorities to ensure we can deliver as many ECO-funded measures as possible. Get in touch to see how we can help you make energy efficient improvements to your home.”