ECO4 for pensioners: who qualifies, including if you are not on benefits

Pension Credit: the main route for older households

The GOV.UK list of benefits for the Energy Company Obligation includes two that are only paid over State Pension age: Pension Guarantee Credit and Pension Savings Credit. If someone in the home gets either, the household may be eligible through the benefits route, as long as the property meets the EPC rule. The State Pension itself is not on the list; Pension Credit is the benefit that counts.

Sources: GOV.UK, Energy Company Obligation; Ofgem, homeowners and tenants. Checked 19 October 2026.

Pensioners who are not on benefits: ECO4 Flex

Plenty of pensioners do not claim Pension Credit, either because their income is a little too high or because they have never applied. For them, the door is ECO4 Flex. Ofgem says councils that take part can refer households on a low income or vulnerable to the effects of a cold home, and its consumer page lists two common reasons: a combined gross annual household income under £31,000, or someone with a severe or long-term health condition made worse by living in a cold home, such as a cardiovascular condition, a respiratory disease, limited mobility or immunosuppression.

The council decides. It must publish a Statement of Intent explaining how it will run Flex, and it may add criteria of its own. Ofgem says some councils allow self-referral, so the first call is to your council's housing or energy team.

What about a "free boiler" for pensioners?

Adverts often promise pensioners a free boiler. Be careful with the word. Ofgem says ECO is not a grant scheme: suppliers decide which measures to fund and how much, and in some cases you may be asked to contribute to the cost. GOV.UK says ECO can help with the cost of replacing or repairing a boiler or other heating upgrades, and with insulation such as loft or cavity wall insulation. Which of these your home gets is decided by a retrofit assessment, not by the advert. We explain contributions in is ECO4 really free.

Applying for a parent or grandparent

Sons, daughters and carers often do the legwork, and that is fine. A few practical points:

• the household that lives in the home is the one assessed, so it is their benefit, income or health that counts;
• the homeowner must agree to the work, and if your relative rents privately, their landlord must give permission;
• gather the Pension Credit award letter, a council tax or utility bill and the EPC before the first call;
• be present for the retrofit assessment and read the contract with them before anything is signed.

Protecting older relatives from ECO4 cold calls

GOV.UK warns that installers or agents might contact people directly. If an offer is unclear, contact the council or the energy supplier the caller claims to represent. Ofgem says to agree to ECO measures only after receiving a contract, and installers must be TrustMark registered (check the TrustMark register). A genuine ECO4 job never needs a fee up front just to "register".

Three pensioner households

These apply the published rules to typical situations. Only a supplier or council can decide a real case.

Is it worth checking for Pension Credit first?

Pension Credit is on the ECO4 benefit list, so a household that is entitled to it but has not claimed may be missing the simplest ECO4 route. GOV.UK has a Pension Credit calculator and claim service. If a claim succeeds, the household can then use the benefits route rather than relying on a council Flex referral.

What ECO4 work can look like in an older home

GOV.UK gives examples of what ECO can help with: insulation work, for example to your loft or cavity walls, and replacing or repairing your boiler, or other upgrades to your heating. For older people the practical questions are often about disruption: how long the work takes, whether rooms need clearing, and whether the heating will be off. Ask the installer these before signing, and ask for the answers in writing.

Next steps

Use the checker on this page with your relative's details to see the likely route, or read the full ECO4 eligibility rules. When you are ready to make contact, our guide on how to apply for ECO4 lists who to call. Remember ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026, so start early.

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