ECO4 Scheme for Solar Panels
ECO4 can fund solar panels and energy efficiency improvements for eligible households until 31 December 2026.
About the ECO4 Scheme
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is an obligation, set by government and administered by Ofgem, running until 31 December 2026, that requires larger energy suppliers to help households reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions through energy efficiency improvements, including solar panel installations.
Key Benefits
Supplier-funded to 31 Dec 2026
Access substantial funding for energy efficiency improvements including solar panels.
Multiple Improvements
Combine solar panels with other energy-saving measures for maximum benefit.
EPC Rating Boost
Improve your property's energy efficiency rating significantly.
Carbon Reduction
Reduce your carbon footprint while saving on energy bills.
Eligibility Criteria
Property Requirements
- EPC rating of D or below
- Owner-occupied or private rented
- Connected to the electricity grid
- Located in Great Britain
Qualifying Benefits
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credits
- Working Tax Credits
- Income Support
- Income-based JSA
- Income-related ESA
- Housing Benefit
Alternative Eligibility Routes
- Low income households (under £31,000 per year)
- Households referred by their council under LA Flex
- Referrals through local authority flex scheme
Application Process
- 1
Initial Assessment
Complete our eligibility checker to see if you qualify for the ECO4 scheme.
- 2
Property Survey
A retrofit assessor working with the installer visits your property to decide which energy efficiency measures suit it.
- 3
Funding Application
The installer submits the ECO4 application to the obligated energy supplier on your behalf.
- 4
Installation
Once approved, the TrustMark-registered, MCS-certified installer fits your solar panels and other improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the application process take?
Typically 4-6 weeks from initial assessment to approval, with installation scheduled shortly after.
Can I combine ECO4 with other grants?
Yes, in many cases ECO4 can be combined with other schemes like the Smart Export Guarantee for maximum benefit.
What happens after installation?
You should receive an updated EPC, warranty documentation and the installer's aftercare details; keep the MCS certificate for any Smart Export Guarantee application.
Check Your Eligibility
How this site helps
- Independent guide, not an installer
- Free eligibility check, no upfront fee
- Not the government, not a scheme administrator
- We reply by email
Check Your ECO4 Eligibility Today
Find out whether ECO4 may fund solar panels and energy improvements for your home.
Check EligibilityWhat ECO4 actually pays towards solar panels (and what it doesn't)
ECO4 is the fourth phase of the Energy Company Obligation, a government scheme that compels larger energy suppliers to fund energy-saving improvements in lower-income and less efficient homes. Crucially, ECO4 has no published flat cash cap handed to each household. Instead, it funds the suitable measures identified for your specific property — which for many eligible homes means solar PV is installed at no cost to you when it forms part of an approved retrofit package.
Because funding is measure-based rather than a fixed grant, the value you receive depends on what your home needs. ECO4 takes a 'whole-house' approach: a solar PV array is typically paired with insulation, heating upgrades or controls so your property reaches a meaningful EPC improvement. That matters for context — a standalone 3–4kW domestic solar system would usually cost roughly £5,000 to £9,000 before any grant, so a fully-funded installation under ECO4 represents a substantial saving for a qualifying household.
What ECO4 does not do is pay you cash, top up a system you have already bought privately, or guarantee solar specifically — the surveyor recommends measures based on your home's energy profile. The scheme runs until 31 December 2026 (Ofgem). A free eligibility check is the quickest way to find out what your property could qualify for.
ECO4 LA Flex: how local authority eligibility widens the door
Many households assume ECO4 is only for people on means-tested benefits. In practice, LA Flex (also called ECO Flex) lets your local council refer you even if you don't claim a qualifying benefit, by setting its own local eligibility rules under a published 'Statement of Intent'. This is one of the most overlooked routes to fully-funded solar.
The exact criteria vary by council, but Flex referrals commonly run through three broad routes:
- Income route — gross household income typically under a set threshold (often around £31,000, though councils may set this differently).
- Health-condition route — a resident whose health (for example respiratory, cardiovascular or immunosuppression-related conditions) is worsened by a cold home, usually evidenced by a referral.
- Proxy route — meeting indicators of vulnerability or fuel poverty, such as certain council tax bands or other local proxies defined by the authority.
Because each council publishes its own thresholds and routes, eligibility genuinely differs region to region — a household that doesn't qualify under a neighbouring authority's rules may qualify under its own. As an independent, supplier-neutral service we don't push one installer's catchment; we simply check your postcode against the routes that apply where you live. If you're near a benefit threshold or have a relevant health condition, it is well worth a free check rather than assuming you're excluded.
What size solar system does ECO4 fund, and how long does it take?
ECO4 solar installations are sized to the property, not to a fixed product. For a typical UK home the surveyor will usually specify a system in the region of 3kW to 4kW — broadly 8 to 12 panels depending on roof space, orientation and shading. Larger detached homes with suitable south or east/west-facing roofs may be specified higher; smaller properties or constrained roofs, lower. The goal is a meaningful contribution to your electricity use and a genuine EPC improvement, not the biggest possible array.
On timescales, the journey from first enquiry to a working system generally runs in stages over several weeks: an initial eligibility check, then a property survey and (where needed) an EPC assessment, followed by the funding application your installer submits to an energy supplier, and finally installation once approved. Demand, supplier processing and seasonal workload all affect the calendar, so treat any timescale as indicative rather than guaranteed.
After installation you should receive an updated EPC certificate, your MCS certificate and warranty paperwork — the MCS certificate also being what licensed suppliers require before you can be paid for exported electricity under the Smart Export Guarantee. Keeping that documentation safe matters, because it underpins both any future property sale and your export earnings.
| Feature | ECO4 | GBIS (Great British Insulation Scheme) | Home Upgrade Grant (closed) |
| Main purpose | Whole-house energy efficiency, can include solar PV | Insulation-focused (e.g. loft, cavity, solid wall) | Energy efficiency & low-carbon heating for the worst-performing homes |
| Funds solar PV? | Yes, where suitable as part of an approved package | No — insulation measures, not solar PV | Sometimes, alongside other measures (varies by scheme/area) |
| Who runs it | Larger energy suppliers (obligation scheme) | Energy suppliers | Local authorities (England), government-funded |
| Typical eligibility | Means-tested benefits, or LA/ECO Flex routes; lower EPC (D–G) | Benefits route, plus a broader council-tax-band route | Off-gas, low-income, low-EPC English homes |
| Geographic scope | Great Britain (not Northern Ireland) | Great Britain | England only |
| Typical funding | Measure-based; suitable measures often fully funded | Part or full funding depending on measure & route | Substantial support for qualifying homes; amounts vary |
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be on benefits to get solar panels through ECO4?
Not necessarily. While many households qualify through means-tested benefits like Universal Credit or Pension Credit, the LA Flex (ECO Flex) route lets your local council refer you based on its own rules — commonly an income threshold, a relevant health condition worsened by a cold home, or other local vulnerability proxies. Because each council sets its own criteria, it's worth a free eligibility check even if you don't claim a qualifying benefit.
How much would these solar panels cost me without an ECO4 grant?
A typical 3–4kW domestic solar PV system in the UK would usually cost around £5,000 to £9,000 to buy privately before any grant, depending on system size, panels, roof complexity and installer. Under ECO4 the suitable measures for a qualifying home are typically fully funded, so an eligible household generally pays nothing towards an approved solar installation. Figures are indicative and vary by property.
Does ECO4 give me a fixed cash grant of a set amount?
No. ECO4 has no published flat per-household cash cap. It funds the specific measures a surveyor identifies as suitable for your property under a whole-house approach, rather than handing over a fixed sum. The value you receive therefore depends on what your home needs — which is why two eligible households can receive quite different packages. ECO4 also does not pay cash or reimburse a system you bought privately.
Is ECO4 available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
ECO4 operates across Great Britain — England, Scotland and Wales — but not Northern Ireland, which has its own schemes such as Affordable Warmth. In Scotland, separate Home Energy Scotland support (including an interest-free loan for solar PV) sits alongside ECO4, and in Wales the Nest scheme runs in parallel. We can check which routes apply to your specific postcode and circumstances.
What's the difference between ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme?
ECO4 takes a whole-house approach and can include solar PV alongside insulation and heating upgrades, mainly for benefit-eligible or LA Flex households in lower-EPC homes. The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is insulation-focused — it does not fund solar PV — but reaches a broader audience through an additional council-tax-band route. Some households explore both. Our comparison table above sets out the key differences side by side.