THOUSANDS could be eligible for free or cheap insulation, helping them save hundreds of pounds a year on their energy bills.
But anyone looking to claim the support will need to make sure they meet a specific criteria.
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The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a Government scheme designed to tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions.
It puts a legal obligation on energy suppliers to make sure households are running as energy-efficiently as possible.
It can see you have a new boiler fitted, or loft or cavity wall insulation put in, sometimes with no cost to you.
Having a boiler fitted can cost up to £4,000, while loft insulation costs around £670 to install and cavity wall insulation in a mid-terrace house £1,800, according to Checkatrade.
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So the scheme could not only save you thousands of pounds in installation costs, but hundreds of pounds on your energy bills.
You will only qualify for ECO if you meet certain criteria though, namely having an energy performance rating on your property of D-G.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Who is eligible and how to apply
Not all energy companies are signed up to the ECO scheme. Here is the list of ones that are:
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- British Gas
- E (Gas and Electricity) LTd
- E.ON
- Ecotricity
- EDF
- Octopus Energy
- Outfox the Market
- OVO
- Scottish Power
- Shell Energy
- So Energy (including ESB Energy)
- The Utility Warehouse
- Utilita Energy
What is the energy price cap?
You have to meet extra criteria beyond belonging to one of the above suppliers to qualify for the ECO scheme though.
You only qualify under certain circumstances, for example if you claim certain benefits and live in private housing.
The list of benefits that could qualify you for the scheme is:
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
- Pension Guarantee Credit
- Pension Savings Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Child Benefit
- Housing Benefit
You also could be eligible if you living in social housing.
In addition to this, households need to be living in properties with an energy performance rating of D-G if they own it, or E-G if they are renting from a private landlord.
You can find out what energy efficiency rating your home is by using the Government’s tool.
Bear in mind, you need permission from your landlord if you are privately renting and want to get work done through the ECO.
Just because you are eligible for the ECO scheme, that doesn’t mean you are guaranteed help.
You may have to fund part of the energy-improving measures in your home too.
You can apply by contacting either your local council or energy supplier.
You can find your local council by using the Government’s council locator tool on its website.
If you’re not happy with the work that’s been done in your home under the ECO scheme, you can contact the installer or the company that commissioned out the work.
If they don’t solve the problem, you should contact your local Citizen’s Advice branch.
What other help is there?
You can get help insulating your home through the Government’s Great British Insulation Scheme.
It launched in September last year and is open to households in council tax bands A-E across England, Wales and Scotland.
You also must have an energy performance certificate rating of D or lower.
If you qualify, you could be in line for essential upgrades to your home including roof, loft or cavity wall insulation – which could cut your annual energy bill by up to £400.
There’s a tool on the Government’s website which asks you a number of questions to determine whether you meet the eligibility criteria.
Meanwhile, you might be able to get a grant to help towards the cost of installing a heat pump through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
The £450million fund offers grants to homeowners in England and Wales to buy the devices which can save you money on your bills.
It’s worth checking if you qualify for the Household Support Fund too.
The fund was recently extended by the Government, with councils now allowed to allocate more cash until September.
What you can get and whether you will qualify depends on where you live, but if you’re on a low income or benefits, it’s worth checking out.
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You should get in touch with your local council for further details.
Remember, you can find your nearest council by using the Government’s council locator tool on its website.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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