Energy Company Obligation (ECO)

Under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Regulations 2017 - 2018 (ECO2t) local authorities can set their own criteria for eligibility for funding for domestic energy efficiency measures. This funding is aimed at those within a local authority most likely to be in fuel poverty. Energy companies can spend up to a maximum of 10% of their full obligation within these criteria. Local authorities must publish a Statement of Intent (Sol) that defines who is eligible for funding before this can happen.

Tamworth Borough Council intends to work closely with energy companies, installers and customers to maximise the input of Flexible Eligibility ECO on fuel poor households. However fitting the criteria within the Statement of Intent (SoI) linked above does not guarantee that any individual household will benefit from energy saving improvements as the final decision on funding rests with energy suppliers and will depend on:

  • The survey carried out and installation costs calculated

  • The energy savings that can be achieved for a property, and

  • Whether suppliers have achieved their ECO targets or require further measures to meet their ECO targets (this will affect the amount of funding available through the scheme)

Privacy Notice for Energy Company Obligation Flexible Eligibility Scheme can be found here.

What is the ECO4 scheme and who is eligible?

The ECO4 is a government scheme to support low-income households to create a more energy efficient home.

ECO4 is available to:

  • Homeowners or Private Tenants
  • Individuals who get income-related benefits
  • Properties with inefficient electric heating

If you’re a landlord and your tenant claims benefits, you may encourage them to apply for the grant. This could improve your properties energy efficiency for years to come​.

ECO4 scheme qualifying benefits:

  • Child Tax Credits
  • Income based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
  • Income related Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Income Support (IS)
  • Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
  • Universal Credit (UC)
  • Working Tax Credit (WTC)
  • Housing Benefit
  • Pension Credit Saving Credit

The government will also make sure that anyone with additional Department of Work and Pension (DWP) benefits has access to ECO4, regardless of whether they receive Universal Credit.

While the focus will be primarily on owner-occupied homes, this new phase of the grant will also support inefficient social housing and private rented housing (if the landlord permits it).

What is ECO4 Flex?

ECO4 Flex is a referral mechanism which enables Councils to widen the eligibility criteria.

Under ECO4 Flex, we can refer households that we consider to be living in fuel poverty or on a low income and vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home.

ECO4 Flex Third party referrals

Citizen’s Advice and NHS professional healthcare workers can also both identify and refer households. 

Citizens Advice must send a referral letter stating they have identified a household who are struggling to pay their gas and electricity bills.

Doctors and GPs can refer households, if they identify that someone has a medical condition such as:

  • A cardiovascular condition,
  • A respiratory disease,
  • Limited mobility or,
  • Immunosuppression.

Applying yourself for ECO4

If you want to directly apply yourself, please contact our provider Beat the Cold

Address: Beat the Cold, The Bridge Centre, Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 8DD
Phone: 01782 914915
Freephone: 0800 389 2258
Contact Us – Beat the Cold (beatcold.org.uk) 

ECO4 installation approval

ECO4 does not guarantee that measures will be installed. The decision on which measures, if any, rests with suppliers.