Energy Company Obligation Scheme

Greater Manchester Combined Authority is helping low income and vulnerable households to access free energy efficiency measures that could lower energy bills – find out more and check if you might be eligible below.

Energy Company Obligation Scheme

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO), first introduced in 2013, is an energy efficiency scheme for Great Britain that places legal obligations on energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises. The fourth wave of the scheme (ECO4) covers the period from 27 July 2022 to 31 March 2026.

Compared to previous waves, ECO4 focusses on improving the least energy efficient homes, as only properties in EPC band D-G can be treated. It also requires a more complete upgrade of those homes, shifting to a fabric-first multi-measure whole-house retrofit approach with the aim of encouraging the installation of insulation, renewables, and district heating connections, as well as upgrading inefficient heating systems.

Check if you are eligible and apply directly through our Retrofit Portal.

Great British Insulation Scheme

In contrast, the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is designed to be a mainly single measure scheme, focusing on installing the most cost-effective measures to achieve bill savings in as many homes as possible. GBIS is intended to run from Summer 2023 until March 2026.

The main aim of the scheme is to provide rapid installation of energy efficiency measures to a wider pool of households, including those on the lowest income and those in the least energy efficient homes in the lower Council Tax bands, reducing energy bills and reducing fuel poverty in the face of significant energy price rises.

Local Authority Flexible Eligibility Scheme

The main objective of ECO and GBIS is to reduce fuel poverty by improving the least energy efficient housing stock occupied by low income and vulnerable households. One route that can be used to identify these households is the Local Authority Flexible Eligibility Scheme (LA Flex).

Under LA Flex, a participating Local Authority can refer private tenure households that it considers to be living in fuel poverty or on a low income and vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home. To view our LA Flex eligibility criteria, please see our latest Statement of Intent:

Energy Company Obligation, Flexible Eligibility, Statement of Intent version 5 (PDF) (for declarations issued from 16 December 2023 onwards)

Energy Company Obligation, Flexible Eligibility, Statement of Intent version 4 (PDF) (for declarations issued from 1 April 2022 to 15 December 2023)

Energy Company Obligation, Flexible Eligibility, Statement of Intent version 3 (PDF) (for declarations issued from 1 June 2019 to 31 March 2022)

Energy Company Obligation, Flexible Eligibility, Statement of Intent version 2 (PDF) (for declarations issued on or before 31 May 2019 only)

Referrals

Patients can be referred into the scheme by a qualified health professional, including doctors, nurses, and other clinicians working in a GP practice or NHS trust.

Click here to learn how to make a referral into the ECO4 Flex scheme. 

Citizens Advice professionals can use this letter to refer residents for Route 2 of the ECO4 Flexible Eligibility Scheme or the Great British Insulation Scheme.

GMCA ECO4 and GBIS Flex Citizens Advice Referral Letter (Word document)

Click here to view our privacy notice for all GMCA retrofit schemes.

Frequently asked questions

Click here to for answers to some of the frequently asked questions we receive about the ECO scheme.

GMCA ECO4, GBIS, and LA Flex Approved Installer List

We have developed a list of three qualified installers who will deliver good quality ECO4, GBIS, and LA Flex funded measures in a timely manner, with due consideration for the needs of eligible households in Greater Manchester.

We will manage the approved installer list, including householder feedback as part of regular monitoring to ensure good customer service is maintained.

The three installers are Improveasy Ltd, Next Energy Solutions Ltd and PHS Home Solutions Ltd T/A 0800 Repair. Each installer has been allocated specific areas of Greater Manchester to work with:

What next?

The three installers are writing to potentially eligible residents across Greater Manchester to see if they would like to take advantage of the schemes.

In addition, our NHS colleagues will be contacting patients who they feel would benefit from the schemes.

Apply for ECO4, GBIS, and LA Flex

You can check if you are eligible and apply for the schemes directly through our Retrofit Portal. If you are unable to apply online, then please contact the approved installer for your district using the freephone number listed above.