Energy Company Obligation (England, Scotland and Wales)
Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is the main scheme for supporting energy efficiency improvements including insulation and some heating improvements in low income and vulnerable households.
Since it was set up in 2013, the ECO policy has been updated several times. The latest policy, ECO3, commenced on 3 December 2018, and applies to measures completed from 1 October 2018. It is expected to run until March 2022.
Suppliers have one obligation, the Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation (HHCRO). Under HHCRO, obligated suppliers must mainly promote measures which improve the ability of low income, fuel poor and vulnerable households to heat their homes. This includes actions that result in heating savings, such as the replacement of a broken heating system or the upgrade of an inefficient heating system.
Please note that it does not have to be the bill payer's circumstances that qualify a property for support from ECO. Anyone who resides at an address can meet the criteria for the property to benefit.
The energy regulator, Ofgem, monitors the scheme.
More information
England and Wales: Information on ECO is available on the Simple Energy Advice website
Scotland: Information on ECO is available on the Energy Savings Trust Scotland website.
Updated: October 2021