Action Surrey are delighted to now offer ECO4 and GBIS in all Districts and Boroughs throughout Surrey County. Alongside this we are also offering the Flex element for both schemes, please get in touch to see if you could be eligible for free Energy Saving measures in your home.
What is ECO4?
ECO stands for the Energy Company Obligation fund phase 4, and it is a grant scheme to assist low-income, fuel poor and vulnerable households through the installation of insulation and heating measures with the aim of reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption in homes.
ECO4 aims to deliver a complete upgrade to properties using a ‘whole house retrofit approach’ with multiple measures.
The ECO4 grant is overseen by Ofgem and the government but is funded by the Energy Companies directly.
To qualify for ECO4 you must meet the following criteria:
- Be an Owner/ Occupier of your home
- Those who live in privately rented or Social Housing may qualify but you must have the permission of your landlord for the upgrades to be performed.
- Property must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D or below.
- Be in receipt of an income related, means tested benefit
For more information on the scheme and qualifying criteria follow the link to the Ofgem website below:
If you do not know the current Energy Performance of your property please click the link below:
What is ECO4 Flex and how is it different from ECO4?
ECO4 Flex offers an alternate route to access the grant funds if you do not qualify under the current criteria set out above.
Flex qualifying criteria is set out below, only one Route needs to be met to qualify:
Route 1-Household Income
Households must have an annual household income of £31,000 or less.
Route 2- Qualifying Criteria
A household must have an EPC of E, F or G and meet two of the following qualifying criteria:
- England Lower-layer Super Output Area (LSOA 1-3 areas)
- In receipt of council tax support (excluding single occupancy discount)
- Vulnerable to living in a cold home as identified by NICE guidance
- In receipt of free school meals
- Referred under a local authority scheme which aims to support low income residents for the purpose of the nice guidelines
- Referred to the scheme by their energy supplier, local authority or by Citizens Advice due to struggling to pay energy bills
Route 3 – NHS referrals
This route is accessible for residents who have conditions that are negatively impacted by cold and damp including:
- Respiratory
- Cardiovascular
- Limited mobility
- Immune suppressed conditions
If you are not sure which route you fall in to, please call Action Surrey, we will assist you.
How long will ECO4/ECO4-Flex run?
The delivery period for the project is from April 2022 to March 2026.
Which local authorities in Surrey are running ECO4 Flex?
Please get in touch with us to see if your Local Authority is running Flex.
What is the Great British Insulation Scheme?
The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) runs alongside ECO4 but rather than a ‘Whole House Retrofit’ approach it offers one insulating measure to homes, this could be one of the following:
- Cavity Wall Insulation
- Loft Insulation
- External Wall Insulation
How is the Great British Insulation Scheme different to ECO4 and ECO4 flex?
Unlike ECO4 and Flex the Great British Insulation Scheme is available to anyone living in Council Tax band properties A to D, it is not a mean tested scheme, and it will likely require a contribution to the funding to facilitate the installation.
Click here to check out our dedicated Great British Insulation Scheme page.
