The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4), which funded free insulation and heating upgrades through energy suppliers, ends on 31 December 2026. The government extended it by nine months from March, but there is no successor obligation.
What’s changing
ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme were paid for through energy bills. The Great British Insulation Scheme ended on 31 March 2026. Under the Warm Homes Plan, support for lower-income households now comes from public funding, mainly the Warm Homes: Local Grant run by councils.
If you’re waiting for ECO4 work
- Ask your installer or energy supplier for a confirmed installation date before 31 December.
- Many installers have stopped taking new ECO4 jobs, as work must be finished in time.
- If your job won’t be finished in time, check whether the Local Grant can cover it instead.
Expect more cold calls
Scheme deadlines attract scammers. Be wary of anyone who calls, texts or knocks saying you must “act now” before ECO ends, or who asks for a fee. Forward scam texts to 7726. Read our scam guide.