Before you apply: the three checks

An ECO4 boiler application only works if three things line up. Check them yourself first and you will save a wasted survey.

Set by the scheme · Ofgem and GOV.UK

The household, the home and the boiler

  1. The household: someone receives a qualifying means-tested benefit, such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit or Housing Benefit, or your council declares the household eligible through ECO4 Flex.
  2. The home: for a boiler upgrade or replacement, you own it and live in it, and it has an energy rating (EPC) of D to G. Tenants can only get first-time central heating or renewable heating, with the landlord’s permission.
  3. The boiler: it is old and non-condensing, it is broken and cannot be economically repaired, or the home has never had central heating.

Our service · not a scheme rule

How Warm Home Support handles your enquiry

These describe how we look at an enquiry. They are not ECO4 requirements, and they do not change what the scheme itself allows.

  • We help you check the household, the home and the boiler before you contact an installer.
  • If ECO4 does not fit, we tell you which scheme might.

You can look up your home’s energy rating on the GOV.UK EPC register. If there is no certificate, or it is very old, the installer’s assessment will produce a new rating.

The boiler question matters more than most people expect. The law behind ECO4 treats a heating system with a non-condensing boiler as inefficient, and Ofgem says upgrades can only happen where the existing boiler is non-condensing. A broken non-condensing boiler counts as an upgrade too. A broken condensing boiler that cannot be economically repaired can be replaced, but Ofgem caps how many of those suppliers fund, and a working condensing boiler is unlikely to be replaced at all. Our guide to non-condensing boiler replacement explains how to tell the difference.

Who you apply through

There is no government form. ECO4 is an obligation on larger energy suppliers, and Ofgem runs it. You have three ways in:

  • An energy supplier. Ofgem says you can contact any obligated supplier, and any of them can deliver ECO4 in England, Wales and Scotland. You do not have to switch.
  • An installer delivering ECO4. Most households come in this way. Installers are not approved by Ofgem, so ask to see their credentials and accreditations before you agree to anything.
  • Your council, for Flex. If you do not receive a qualifying benefit, a participating council can declare your household eligible, for example on a household income below £31,000. Ask the council whether it runs ECO4 Flex.

Free, impartial advice first

If you would like to talk it through before contacting anyone, Ofgem points households to Simple Energy Advice in England and Wales, Home Energy Scotland in Scotland, and Nest in Wales.

The ECO4 application, step by step

  1. Step 1: Check your route

    Confirm the qualifying benefit, or ask your council about Flex. Find your EPC rating and note what kind of boiler you have.

  2. Step 2: Make an enquiry

    Contact an energy supplier or an installer delivering ECO4, or the council for Flex. Expect a few questions about your household, your home and your heating.

  3. Step 3: Send your evidence

    Usually a benefit award letter, proof that you own the home or written landlord permission, and photo ID.

  4. Step 4: Home assessment

    An assessor visits to record the home, its insulation and its heating. This produces the energy rating the project is measured against.

  5. Step 5: Design and offer

    The project is designed so that the home reaches the required rating. You should get a written contract that sets out the work and any contribution before you agree.

  6. Step 6: Insulation first

    Loft and cavity wall insulation are normally installed before the heating, where the home needs them.

  7. Step 7: Boiler installation

    The new boiler and any heating controls are fitted, the system is commissioned, and you are shown how to use it.

Documents to have ready

Having these to hand speeds things up:

  • Proof of your benefit: a recent award letter or statement for the qualifying benefit, in the name of someone who lives at the property.
  • Proof of ownership or permission: if you own the home, proof of that. If you rent, the landlord’s written permission.
  • Photo ID for the person applying.
  • Your EPC, if there is one, and any paperwork for past insulation work.
  • For Flex: the council’s declaration that your household is eligible. The council or the installer arranges this.

What the survey checks

ECO4 is measured on the whole home, not just the boiler. Under the ECO4 delivery guidance:

  • A home rated D or E has to reach at least band C, and a home rated F or G at least band D.
  • A home rated E to G normally needs its exterior cavity walls and loft insulated before any heating is installed, and a home rated D needs at least one insulation measure first.

So the assessor looks at the loft, the walls, the windows and the heating together. If the home cannot reach the required rating, the boiler on its own is unlikely to be funded.

Eligible does not mean guaranteed

Ofgem is clear that meeting the eligibility rules does not guarantee that a measure will be installed. Suppliers decide which projects they fund, and that can change as the scheme nears its end.

Will you have to pay anything?

ECO4 is not a fixed grant. Energy suppliers fund the work they agree to, and Ofgem says that in some cases you may be asked to contribute to the cost. If that happens:

  • ask for the contribution in writing, as part of the contract;
  • compare it with another installer, because Ofgem advises households to shop around;
  • never pay a fee to “reserve” or “secure” the grant before any work is agreed.

A replaced or upgraded boiler must come with a warranty of at least two years.

The deadline

ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026, and the work has to be finished by then, not just applied for. Insulation comes before heating, and each stage depends on the installer’s schedule. If you think you qualify, make your enquiry now rather than in the final weeks.

See whether ECO4 fits your home

Answer a couple of questions about your heating and whether you own the home. We will take you to our eligibility check with those answers filled in. It is free, and nothing is sent until you choose to send it.

What currently heats your property?
Are you the property owner?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is applied for by an MCS-certified installer with the property owner’s consent, so a tenant cannot apply on their own. You can still continue — the check explains what to raise with your landlord, and other support that may apply to renters.

Optional here. It is only used to pre-fill the final step, and is never added to the web address.

Choosing an installer

Ofgem does not approve ECO4 installers, so it is up to you to check them. Ask:

  • Which accreditations do you hold, and are your heating engineers Gas Safe registered?
  • Which energy supplier is funding this project?
  • What exactly will be installed, and will I be asked to contribute anything?
  • What warranty comes with the boiler and with the insulation?
  • Who do I contact if something goes wrong after the work?

Walk away if

  • you are asked for money to “secure” or “release” a grant;
  • someone promises a free boiler before checking your benefit, your home or your boiler;
  • you are pressed to sign on the doorstep or to hand over bank details;
  • you are told the offer comes from the government. It comes from energy suppliers, under Ofgem’s rules.

If ECO4 is not the right fit