ECO4 Scheme UK Explained
ECO4 is the government's Energy Company Obligation on medium and large energy suppliers (HHCRO), administered by Ofgem. The scheme runs until 31 December 2026. Ofgem states that ECO is not a grant scheme.
What is ECO4 in one paragraph?
Obligated suppliers must deliver energy-efficiency outcomes for eligible households in Great Britain. Funding and measure choice sit with those suppliers (and their delivery partners), not with a household cash grant from Ofgem. A home survey informs what, if anything, may be funded. Eligibility does not guarantee an installation.
ApplyFreeBoiler.uk is run by Reliant Energy Solutions Ltd, an ECO4 installer — not government, Ofgem or an energy supplier.
Last updated 2 October 2026. Source: Ofgem ECO.
Who runs this site
ApplyFreeBoiler.uk is run by Reliant Energy Solutions Ltd, an ECO4 installer. We are paid by the energy supplier for each installation we complete under ECO4. We are not paid by households. We are not the government, Ofgem, or an energy supplier. You can also contact an obligated supplier or your local authority directly via GOV.UK ECO. Never pay a fee to apply; for works, contributions may apply (Ofgem).
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Who runs ECO4 — and who pays?
Understanding the mechanism helps you avoid treating ECO4 like a single national grant portal.
When does ECO4 end — is it still open?
ECO4 remains open for measures until 31 December 2026 (Ofgem).
That does not mean every measure is available everywhere, or that a survey will always lead to funded works. Availability still varies by supplier, area, and property.
What measures can ECO4 include?
ECO4 is about energy-efficiency packages, not a guaranteed new gas boiler for everyone who enquires. A survey decides what is appropriate for the property under scheme rules.
For a directory of related routes (insulation, heat pumps / BUS, WHD as a bill discount, and more), see /grants.
How ECO4 works
Under ECO4, energy suppliers are obliged by the government to fund heating and insulation upgrades in low-income, less energy-efficient homes. Ofgem administers the scheme.
- Check eligibility. Find out whether you qualify through a Help to Heat benefit or LA Flex, and whether your home is in a qualifying EPC band (see who is eligible).
- Provide eligibility evidence. This is either proof of a qualifying benefit or a declaration under LA Flex.
- Home survey and retrofit assessment. The property is assessed to see what it needs. The survey decides what, if anything, is funded.
- Measures are designed under PAS 2035. The installer designs the package of measures under the PAS 2035 retrofit standard. ECO4 takes a whole-house approach, so insulation is considered alongside heating.
- Installation by accredited installers. Accredited installers carry out the work. See the TrustMark and Gas Safe checks below.
- The supplier funds the work. The obligated energy supplier funds the agreed measures. Confirm the scope and any contribution in writing before works begin.
Minimum insulation requirements. Before certain heating measures, cavity wall and loft or roof insulation must already be installed or present (or be exempt). A survey may therefore recommend loft insulation or cavity wall insulation first. See Ofgem's ECO4 delivery guidance.
Ready to start your ECO4 scheme application? How to apply for ECO4.
Who is eligible for the ECO4 scheme?
You may qualify for ECO4 if you get a Help to Heat qualifying benefit, or your council includes you under LA Flex, and your home is one of the least efficient (generally EPC bands D to G). Eligibility does not guarantee an installation: a survey decides what, if anything, is funded.
Help to Heat qualifying benefits
Getting one of these benefits can qualify a household in private housing:
- Child Benefit (subject to an income threshold)
- Housing Benefit
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit)
- Universal Credit
Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit ended in April 2025 and are not qualifying benefits. Source: Ofgem homeowners and tenants.
No qualifying benefit? LA Flex
Under ECO4 Flex (LA Flex), councils and suppliers can refer households that do not get a qualifying benefit. The routes are gross annual household income under £31,000 (Route 1), proxy targeting such as deprived-area measures (Route 2), a health condition made worse by living in a cold home (Route 3) and bespoke targeting (Route 4). Councils opt in and publish a Statement of Intent, so what is available depends on your local authority. See the LA Flex scheme page and Ofgem's ECO4 delivery guidance.
Your home's EPC rating
ECO4 targets the least efficient homes, generally those in EPC bands D to G. Private rented and social housing have their own rules, set out in Ofgem's ECO4 delivery guidance.
Homeowner, private tenant or social housing
Homeowners. Owner-occupiers can apply if the household meets a benefit or LA Flex route and the home is in a qualifying EPC band.
Private tenants. You can apply, but you need your landlord's permission, and private rented homes have their own ECO4 rules.
Social housing. Social housing has its own ECO4 rules, and the focus is often on insulation rather than a new boiler for every tenant. Ask your landlord or housing association whether it is running an ECO4 project.
ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026. Source: Ofgem ECO. There is no ECO5. Our Warm Homes Plan guide explains the government grants that take over.
- Full qualify checklist: /eligibility
- Universal Credit context: UC guide
- Geography: ECO4 covers Great Britain. See /areas — Northern Ireland differs.
ECO4 Flex (local authority flexible eligibility)
Criteria and availability vary by council. Flex is one path among others (Help to Heat benefits routes, supplier projects). Treat it as a mechanism overview here; use the dedicated Flex page for detail.
LA Flex scheme overviewECO4 boiler grant and free boiler: what is possible?
Search interest often centres on “ECO4 free boiler” and “ECO4 boiler grant.” In mechanism terms: boiler repair, replacement, or upgrade can be funded where Ofgem technical conditions are met — for example where heating is broken or inefficient under the live rules — but it is not guaranteed.
- A survey informs whether a boiler measure (or insulation / other upgrades) is appropriate.
- Private rented sector (PRS) rules are more restricted at a high level — landlord permission and EPC context matter. See /eligibility for tenure nuance.
- Prefer Ofgem consumer FAQs over marketing shorthand: Ofgem FAQs for consumers and landlords.
Contributions, contracts & guarantees
TrustMark & Gas Safe — consumer checks
Prefer consumer-facing checks over vague “approved installer” or “Ofgem approved installer” marketing. Ofgem administers the scheme; consumers should verify TrustMark registration for relevant measures and Gas Safe registration for gas boiler work.
ECO4 vs other routes
This hub explains the ECO4 mechanism. For a directory of schemes and measure types — including BUS heat-pump context and Warm Home Discount as a bill discount, not a boiler grant — use the grants hub. For side-by-side comparison copy, use the dedicated comparison page.
How to apply for ECO4: next steps
Short path only — process detail and the application form live on /apply. You can also use GOV.UK routes to your council or an obligated supplier.
- Review the qualify checklist on /eligibility.
- Start application support on /apply, or contact a supplier / local authority via GOV.UK.
- Confirm any contribution and scope in writing before works begin.
ECO4 scheme FAQs
Short answers on how ECO4 works, who can apply and when the scheme ends.
ECO4 is the fourth Energy Company Obligation: a Great Britain government scheme requiring obligated energy suppliers to fund energy-efficiency measures. It is administered by Ofgem and runs until 31 December 2026.
Under ECO4, energy suppliers are obliged by the government to fund heating and insulation upgrades in low-income, less energy-efficient homes. Ofgem administers the scheme.
Ofgem states that ECO is not a grant scheme. Obligated suppliers choose which projects to fund, at what level, and through which delivery partners. Ofgem administers the obligation; it does not hand out cash grants to households.
ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026 (Ofgem). Availability still varies by supplier and area, and eligibility does not guarantee an installation.
Boiler repair, replacement, or upgrade can be possible under technical rules after assessment. It is not guaranteed. The package may include insulation or other measures instead of, or as well as, a boiler. Eligibility does not guarantee an installation.
Via obligated energy suppliers, local authorities (including LA Flex where offered), or ECO4 installers. There is no single Ofgem consumer application form. See /apply for process help.
Yes. You can approach an obligated supplier or your local authority directly. ApplyFreeBoiler.uk is run by Reliant Energy Solutions Ltd, an ECO4 installer. We are paid by the energy supplier for each installation we complete under ECO4, not by households, and we are not government, Ofgem or a supplier.
You should never pay a fee to apply. For installation works, Ofgem notes that contributions may be requested in some cases. Always get a written contract before work starts.
Searchers often say “ECO4 boiler grant,” but Ofgem states ECO is not a grant scheme. Boiler repair, replacement or upgrade can be considered under technical rules after assessment — not a household cash grant from Ofgem.
“ECO4 free boiler” usually means a heating measure that may be funded by an obligated supplier under ECO4. It is not guaranteed. Contributions may apply. For the wider “free boiler scheme” search term, see our free boiler scheme page.