Is ECO4 still available? Yes, until 31 December 2026

Sources: Ofgem, Energy Company Obligation. Checked 19 October 2026.

Why so many people think ECO4 has closed

Three things cause most of the confusion. First, ECO4 was originally due to finish earlier, and the nine-month extension Ofgem mentions moved the end date to 31 December 2026; older articles still carry the original date. Second, a sister scheme, the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS), really did end on 31 March 2026, and the two are often mixed up. Third, some marketing uses urgency ("only days remaining") to rush people. A countdown banner is not an official source.

What "until 31 December 2026" means for you

Ofgem frames ECO4's dates around when measures are installed. In practice, an ECO4 job has several stages: checking eligibility, a retrofit assessment, a contract, then installation. Each takes time, and suppliers plan their own delivery. The later in 2026 you start, the more likely it is that a job cannot be completed in time. If you think you qualify, check now rather than in December, and ask the supplier or council at the start whether they can still complete work before the end date.

Do you still qualify?

The rules have not changed with the extension. You might qualify if someone in the home gets one of eight benefits listed on GOV.UK (Universal Credit, Pension Guarantee Credit, Pension Savings Credit, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Child Benefit or Housing Benefit), or if your council refers you through ECO4 Flex. The home also needs a low enough EPC rating: D to G if you own it, E to G if you rent. Our ECO4 eligibility page sets out every rule, and the checker on this page shows your likely route as you answer.

How to apply before it ends

There is no single government form. GOV.UK says to contact your local council to see if it takes part, or contact an energy supplier directly; Ofgem says you can contact any obligated supplier, not only your own. Our guide on how to apply for ECO4 walks through each route, the documents to have ready and the checks before you sign.

A warning about deadline pressure

Because the end date is real, expect more cold calls and adverts as December approaches. GOV.UK says installers or agents might contact you directly, and that if you are unsure an offer is genuine you should contact your council or the energy supplier they say they represent. Ofgem says to agree to ECO measures only once you have a contract, and that installers must be TrustMark registered. Never pay a fee to be "put on" ECO4.

A December-proof checklist

If you want ECO4 work done before the scheme ends, use this list to keep things moving:

Myths about the end date

• Myth: ECO4 has already ended. No. The scheme that closed on 31 March 2026 was the Great British Insulation Scheme. ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026.
• "The Chancellor ended ECO4 funding." Ofgem's scheme page, checked on the date above, still gives 31 December 2026.
• "You must sign today or lose your place." There is no official queue to lose. Take time to get a contract and check the installer.
• "ECO5 starts in January." No successor has been confirmed on an official page.

What happens after 31 December 2026?

Update, 30 October 2026: Ofgem's scheme page still gives 31 December 2026 as the end date. HM Treasury's Budget 2026 document (28 October 2026) says the government took £150 of costs off household bills in April 2026 by scrapping the Energy Company Obligation levy, and it names no ECO successor. Separately, it announces a £100 Household Energy Payment for council tax bands A to D in England from January 2027; that is not an ECO measure. Source: Budget 2026 document.

As of 19 October 2026, no replacement scheme has been confirmed on an official page. We will update this page when Ofgem or GOV.UK publishes anything. Our page on what is confirmed about ECO5 tracks the question separately.

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