ECO
Rhwymedigaeth Cwmni Ynni

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government energy efficiency scheme in Great Britain to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. The scheme began in April 2013, and over time it has been amended. The latest changes to the scheme occurred in July 2022 with the launch of “ECO 4” ECO energy efficiency measures contribute to the target and commitment agreed by the UK government in line with the International climate change agreements of Kyoto (1997) and Paris (2016) to reach net zero by 2050. This ECO policy is formed from two obligations, the Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation (HHCRO) and Local Authority Flexibility Scheme (LA Flex). The process can be very complicated and difficult to arrange – that’s where we come in. We’ve been putting people and energy efficiency grants together since ECO started in 2013. Every single person involved in the customer experience is a CES employee, from surveyors and admin staff right the way through to the installers. All measures handled under one roof!

The Energy Company Obligation places a requirement on the biggest energy suppliers to install energy-saving measures in people’s homes. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) regulates the monopoly companies which run the gas and electricity networks. It takes decisions on price controls and enforcement, acting in the interests of consumers and helping the industries to achieve environmental improvements. Under the scheme, energy companies can determine which measures they offer to install, how much funding they provide and the installers that do the work. The current big six energy suppliers are:

ECO is prioritised to low-income and vulnerable households. To benefit from the scheme, applicants must either own their house, or have the permission of their landlord. This includes social housing tenants. You may be eligible for ECO if you receive the Warm Home Discount (which helps fuel-poor homes), or if you receive one of the following benefits: Child Benefit Child Tax Credits (CTC) Housing Benefit Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) Income Support (IS) Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (PCGC) Pension Credit Savings Credit (PCSC) Universal Credit (UC) Working Tax Credit (WTC) You may also be eligible for ECO funding if you live in social housing that has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D or lower.

The HHCRO scheme (“Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation”, also known as “The Affordable Warmth Obligation”) offers support to eligible applicants to enable them to reduce the cost of heating their property through the installation of energy efficient measures. The grant scheme is focused initially on vulnerable and low income households in a bid to reduce UK instances of fuel poverty. Fuel poverty is defined as a household that is not able to adequately heat their property at an affordable cost. As a guide fuel poverty is said to occur when more than 10% of a household’s income is spent on heating the home to an adequate level. Recent increases in fuel prices has led to a sharp increase of the number of UK home owners in this predicament. If you are a home owner or live in private rented accommodation, and are in receipt of any of the following benefits you will qualify for HHCRO funding: Pension Credit Child Tax Credit (with an income of £15,860 or less) Working Tax Credit (with an income of £15,860 or less) Income Support Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance Income-Related Employment Support Allowance If you receive Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment Support Allowance one of the following must also apply: You have a child under 16 You have a child under 20 in full-time education (not university) You get Child Tax Credit including a disability element You get a Disabled Child Premium You get a Disability Premium You have a Pensioner Premium You have a Work Related Activity or Support Component (with income-related Employment and Support Allowance) If you are in receipt of Working Tax Credit one of the following must also apply: You are 60 years of age or over You have a child under 16 You have a child under 20 in full-time education (not university) You have a Severe Disability Element You have a Disabled Worker Element

Flexible Eligibility, often shortened to LA Flex, is a part of the UK Government’s new phase of the Energy Company Obligation Scheme – ECO4. Councils have the power to widen the eligibility criteria for ECO, allowing them to tailor energy efficiency schemes to their respective area. This allows more residents, in addition to those claiming benefits, to qualify for ECO funding, often on the basis of low incomes, health, age or area, giving councils the ability to support specific communities. LA Flex must define criteria that proves residents are either living in fuel poverty or are on low income and vulnerable to living in a cold home. Local authorities can use LA Flex to help homeowners and private renting tenants benefit from the installation of home energy efficiency measures. However, the Flexible Eligibility route is not applicable for social housing tenants.

You can apply by either calling our friendly expert advisors on: 0333 050 9980 or by clicking the link below to find out if you qualify. If you are successful, you will be asked for a few details and one of our experts will call you back within 24 hours.