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Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Scheme  2022- 2027 - FREE energy saving measures paid for by your UK energy provider.

The UK Government extended the list of people eligible!

 

update 14 Sep 2022 - more email addresses to contact energy companies on ECO4

 

This will save you up to £1,000 on your energy bill every year!

 

If you can help update this information or have a good or bad experience with your application, please contact MyZeroCarbon via the contact form or Twitter @Myzerocarbon or Facebook MyZeroCArbon

 

The Energy Company Obligation Scheme (ECO4; Ofgem) came into force on 27July 2022. It will run until 31 March 2026. It makes it a legal requirement for the main energy providers to instrall home insulation/ energy efficiency measures in your home free of charge.

Both homeowners and tenants/ landlords (on behalf of eligible tenants) qualify.

 

The main conditions/ eligibility

1. You receive UK Government benefits/credits/allowances (see below; if so, for FREE)

     or: have a household income below £31,000 (e.g. Child Benefits; free or subsidised)

2. Your House has low energy performance - energy efficiency band D-G (or E-G if you live in social housing or private rented accommodation)

         --> Find out your energy efficiency rating here: https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate

3. You own your home or have permission from your landlord

4. You live in England or Wales

for Scotland, please go to: https://freeinsulationscheme.org.uk/insulation-grants-scotland/ or www.homeenergyscotland.org

for Northern Ireland, please go to https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06814/SN06814.pdf#page=23 (page 23)

 

The Scheme is available for

• Loft insulation
• Cavity wall insulation
• Room in roof insulation
• Internal wall insulation
• External wall insulation
• Floor insulation

          (and more)

 

Eligibility/ eligible benefits, credits and allowances

 

You are eligible if you receive any of the following:

• Income based Jobseekers allowance (JSA)
• Income related Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income Support (IS)
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• Working Tax Credit (WTC)
• Child Tax Credits (CTC)
• Universal Credit (UC)
• Housing Benefit (new eligible benefit under ECO4)
• Pension Credit Savings Credit (new eligible benefit under ECO4)
• Child Benefit (based on the limits of income)

 

More information on eligibility here: https://freeinsulationscheme.org.uk/ 

 

List of ECO 4 Energy providers & link to application form

[last update 4 October 2022] Some of this information is from OFGEM: ECO supplier contact details. You can benefit from ECO4 regardless of who you purchase your energy from.But it may be best if you start with the company that is supplying your energy (if it is listed in these top 5 companies).

Below the energy companies that have the application process open. You can contact and apply with any of these:

 

1. Octopus online application form: https://octopus.energy/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-eco-scheme/  [email: eco@octopus.energy]
2. Bulb online application form:https://form.jotform.com/BulbEnergyLtd/ECO_grant (email: eco@bulb.co.uk; general contact form via https://help.bulb.co.uk/hc/en-us/requests/new)
3. British Gas expression of interest form: www.britishgas.co.uk/apps/boilers-and-heating/home-improvements/energy-efficiency 
4. Eon 'check your eligibility' online form: www.eonenergy.com/grant-finder.html or call 345 300 4389 (or email  Head of Obligation Delivery alexis.keel@eon-uk.com)
5. Edf online contact form for ECO scheme:  www.edfenergy.com/energy-efficiency/energy-company-obligation-scheme (or email ECO@edfenergy.com)
6. Utilita utilita.co.uk/eco/insulation [scroll down to 'Get Started'] (also email ECO@Utilita.co.uk or phone 03452 072 000)

 

Other Energy providers part of ECO4 with no application form/process, yet

The following energy providers are part of ECO 4. But to find out more, you need to contact them:

 

1. Scottish Power email: ecoenquiries@scottishpower.com or call 0345 270 0700 
2. Ecotricity "accepting applications by email" compliance@ecotricity.co.uk (but did not sound they were ready in email response from 22/09/22)

3. The Co-operative Energy  email eco@cooperativeenergy.coop

 

Energy providers listed on OFGEM's ECO 4 company list, but  not accepting applications.

1. Outfox the Market:  "transferred their ECO4 obligations to other energy providers" (email: ECO@Outfoxthemarket.co.uk  or 0800 103 2702)
2. Utility Warehouse: "ECO4 obligations administered by Eon" (general contact form https://uw.co.uk/help/contact-us  or 0333 777 0777 or 0800 781 7777)
3. E: email: ECO@E.org  or 0333 103 9575 (have not responded to email from MyZeroCarbon after 24 days)

4. Ovo Energy email: ECO@ovoenergy.com  Call - 0800 408 6601 or 0117 203 4264 (have not responded to email from MyZeroCArbon after 24 days)

5. Shell Energy email eco@shellenergy.co.uk (have not responded to email from MyZeroCarbon after 15days)
6. So Energy email eco@so.energy or call 0330 111 5050 (have not responded to email from MyZeroCarbon after 15days)

 

If the energy provider you contact does not respond or says they do not offer any ECO4 measures

 If the energy provider you contacted is not responding, complain to the UK energy regulator OFGEM via eco@ofgem.gov.uk or call 020 7901 7295.

 

Next Steps

1. Check you are eligible. (see above; income/ benefits/ current energy efficiency rating)

2. Contact an energy provider by email or online contact form (see above).

3. If you are a tenant, get your landlord's permission in writing.

4. Fill in a full application form or give your energy provider the information they ask you for.

 

Suggeste message to the energy provider you are contacting

(email, if no application form available)

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I am hereby applying for ECO4 energy saving measures.
I am a homeowner/ tenant [delete accordingly]
I have checked the eligibility criteria for ECO4. I believe I am eligible for free insulation installation. I am receiving [insert benefit name]. My home's energy rating is [Insert energy rating].

 

I would like to get the following done at my home:
[list what you want to do e.g.]

• Loft insulation
• Cavity Wall insulation

Please send me your application form and/or tell me about the next steps, so I can get my home insulated.
Yours sincerely
[insert your name here]
[insert your postal home address, email and or mphone number here]

 

Not eligible?

If you are not eligible for free or subsidised home insulation, you can still do a DIY loft insulation and other energy saving-measures yourself. You want a thickness of 370 mm loft insulation (37 cm/ 14.5 inches). You may have to top up what you already have or install the full thickness.

We found the best priced loft insulation material at B&Q; Knauf Eko Roll Loft insulation roll

200mm thick x 4.83m x 1.14m - £25 (£4.54/ m2)

100mm thick x 7.28m x 1.14m - £22.50 (£2.71/m2)

170mm thick x 5.68m x 1.14m - £24 (£3.71/m2)

 

More information

Government-endorsed: Simple Energy Advice: https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/pages/energy-company-obligation 
The Free Insulation Scheme:  https://freeinsulationscheme.org.uk/
Compare the Market: https://www.comparethemarket.com/energy/content/free-loft-insulation/

Energy Saving Trust information on loft insulation & how much you can save: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/roof-and-loft-insulation/

 

For more information, see the this blog post on how to save energy and money

For more infomration on saving enery and money at home see this YouTube video: Home heating energy savings tips