ECO4

• Child Benefit.
• Income Support (IS).
• Universal Credit (UC).
• Child Tax Credit (CTC).
• Working Tax Credit (WTC).
• Pension Guarantee Credit.
• Income Based Jobseeler’s Allowance (JSA).
• Pension Savings Credit (New Eligible Under ECO4)
• Housing Benefit (New Eligible Benefit Under ECO4)
• Income Related Employment & Support Allowance (ESA).

ENERGY COMPANY OBLIGATION (ECO4)

• In ECO4, a four-year scheme is planned, taking effect on 1 April 2020 through 31 March 2026.
• As part of ECO4, low-process and vulnerable households are targeted for improvement of their least energy-efficient housing stock. One route that can be used to identity these households is “ECO4 Flexibility “(ECO4 Flex).
• As part of this policy, large energy companies will be held accountable for supporting income-restricted households as well as making homes warmer and emissions lower. So ECO offers hardship grants to single mothers, fathers, people with disabilities, and families in general who struggle financially while promoting energy saving.
• UK Energy Support develops and implements the Energy Company Obligation in close collaboration with Ofgem and energy suppliers to help vulnerable homes and property owners.
• By improving heating systems, it helps lower fuel poverty by complying with primary legislation industrial strategy. Since 2013, the primary legislation listing minimum energy efficiency standards has helped over 2.3 million homes improve their energy efficiency. In April 2022, the ECO4 scheme replaced the previous phase of the ECO3.
• The government website provides information on ECO4 final stage impact assessments. In the document, changes are made to the scoring methodology, minimum requirements, and referrals from local authorities (through LA Flex – Flexible Eligibility) and private energy efficiency installers to implement ECO consultations’ final phase.
• There will be a continuation of the scheme that assists low-income, vulnerable, and fuel-poor households, but the focus will be narrowed to the homes that are the least energy-efficient.
• The goal is to save households up to £200 per year by installing energy saving and heating measures in their homes. These measures reduce household energy bills and carbon emissions by reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
• With the introduction of minimum improvement requirements, the scheme aims to deliver bigger reductions in bills for low income and vulnerable households than a single measure approach.
• Reduces our carbon emissions from our housing stock, which helps us toward our net zero future. The government’s NetZero 2050 goal will also be accelerated by limiting the use of fossil fuel-based heating systems under ECO4. By targeting the worst homes, the scheme will achieve larger carbon reductions.