The Energy Company Obligation, ECO4, is coming to an end. It was due to finish on 31 March 2026, but after a consultation the government extended it by nine months to 31 December 2026. The government has also said there will be no successor supplier obligation — so this is the end of the ECO schemes that have run in various forms since 2013.
Energy Crisis UK is not part of ECO4 or any government scheme. This guide explains what we found on GOV.UK and Ofgem so you can check the official sources yourself.
What Is ECO4?
ECO4 requires larger energy suppliers to fund energy efficiency improvements, such as insulation and heating upgrades, in homes occupied by lower-income and vulnerable households. It started on 1 April 2022 and is administered by Ofgem.
The Great British Insulation Scheme Has Already Closed
ECO4's sister scheme, the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS), was not extended. It ended as planned on 31 March 2026.
Who Qualifies for ECO4?
GOV.UK says you might be eligible if you:
- live in private housing and claim certain benefits — including Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Child Benefit or Housing Benefit, or
- live in social housing.
Homeowners usually need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E, F or G; private and social renters E, F or G. You can look up your home on the GOV.UK Find an energy certificate service. Councils can also refer some other low-income or vulnerable households through what is known as “LA Flex”.
Can You Still Get Work Done Under ECO4?
Measures have to be installed before the scheme ends on 31 December 2026, and a job involves surveys, design and installation. With only a few months left, it may be too late to start a new one. If you think you qualify, contact your local council or an energy supplier and ask whether they can still take on an ECO4 job — that is the route GOV.UK recommends.
What Replaces ECO4?
Instead of a new supplier obligation, the government’s Warm Homes Plan (updated March 2026) funds support directly. For households, that currently means:
- Warm Homes: Local Grant (England): council-run funding for insulation, air source heat pumps, smart controls and solar panels in privately owned homes rated EPC D–G, usually for households with an income of £36,000 a year or less.
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales): £7,500 towards an air or ground source heat pump for property owners replacing fossil fuel heating.
- Low- and zero-interest loans: the government has said it will offer loans for solar panels, batteries and heat pumps, rolled out in phases.
- 0% VAT on installing insulation, heating controls, solar panels, heat pumps and batteries until 31 March 2027.
- Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own schemes, such as Home Energy Scotland and Nest in Wales.
See our grants guide for the details and links to each official scheme.
Had Insulation Fitted Under ECO4 or GBIS?
In October 2025 the National Audit Office reported quality failures in external and internal wall insulation fitted under government schemes. If you had external wall insulation installed under ECO4 or GBIS, TrustMark offers a free Find & Fix audit, and will arrange for any problems it finds to be fixed at no cost to you.
If You Are Paying for Improvements Yourself
Many households will not qualify for funded schemes. Our guides show typical costs and savings for loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and other improvements, using Energy Saving Trust figures. Before agreeing to any work, check the installer yourself, for example on the TrustMark register.
Sources: GOV.UK “Extending the ECO4 end date: government response” (January 2026); GOV.UK Energy Company Obligation guidance; Ofgem ECO4 scheme page; GOV.UK Warm Homes Plan (March 2026); TrustMark. Last reviewed September 2026.