Tenants benefit from ECO4

Warmer homes and lower energy bills

The government ECO scheme (Energy Company Obligation) was introduced to help low-income households make their homes warmer and at the same time reduce their energy bills.

Grants for a range of different home energy efficiency improvements are available to help qualifying tenants in privately rented properties lower their energy bills and create warmer, more comfortable homes.

As a tenant living in a privately rented property there are two routes to ECO funding eligibility. Firstly, if you are in receipt of a government benefit you may fall under the Help to Heat Group.

For a full list of qualifying benefits, click here.

Secondly, if your local authority deems you to be in fuel poverty, or low income and vulnerable to the cold, they would be able to approve you for ECO funding. Check your Local Authorities website for their Local Authorities Flex (LA Flex) eligibility criteria.

The energy efficiency measures that can be funded under the ECO scheme will depend on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of the property you rent. An approved ECO4 installer will be qualified to carry out an assessment of your home.

Properties with an EPC rating of E,F or G may be eligible for funding for a range of measaure types.

You do not need to be the homeowner to benefit under ECO4. However, you will need to get permission from your landlord before going forward with funding and carrying out any works.

What measures are available under the
ECO4 scheme?

For tenants and landlords within the privately rented sector the range of measures available under ECO4 are:

Cavity wall insulation
Loft insulation
External wall insulation
Internal wall insulation
Room in roof insulation
Underfloor insulation
First-time central heating
Air source heat pumps
Heating controls (including smart thermostats)

At this time, replacements for broken boilers or broken electric storage heaters are excluded for the private rented sector.

First-time central heating grants

A first time central heating grant is something we know many households are interested in. Under the ECO4 Scheme you may also be eligible for a free central heating system upgrade.

Free loft insulation

Insultation can be an effective way to reduce energy bills, as it can help lower the amount of heat being lost, such as through a property’s roof. Funding is available under the ECO4 scheme for a range of different types of insulation, including loft insulation grants.

Are you eligible for an ECO4 grant?

Your eligibility for ECO4 energy solutions is determined by certain criteria. This includes the current energy efficiency rating of your home. To find out this rating you will need to refer to the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

You can find your property’s EPC rating here using this free online tool. Eligibility could take into account a low income which might then fall under the ECO4 Flex scheme, or if you are in receipt of certain benefits you might be eligible but you will need to contact your local authority.

The benefits include:

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income Support (IS)
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (PCGC)
Working Tax Credit
Universal Credit
Housing Benefit
Pension Credit Savings Credit (PCSC)
Child Benefit (subject to income caps and composition)

You do not need to be the homeowner to benefit from ECO4. However, you will need to get permission from your landlord before going forward with funding and carrying out any works.