The ECO3 Scheme (Energy Company Obligation Scheme) is a government initiative that aims to deliver efficient energy solutions to homes across the UK, with a focus on supporting low income, vulnerable and fuel poor households. Find out more, including if you are eligible for a free boiler, here.
What is the Energy Company Obligation Scheme?
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is designed to provide efficient measures that make homes warmer and more comfortable to live in, while reducing carbon emissions and tackling fuel poverty with their grant scheme.
The government has focused the 2018-2022 obligation on fuel poor, low income, and vulnerable to the cold homes. With ECO3, grants are available to cover the cost of energy efficiency measures for these households – which might be otherwise unable to afford them.
The measures available include boiler installation, loft insulation, and wall insulation. Each is designed to help you save on bills and reduce carbon emissions, while still keeping your house warm.
Suppliers across the UK are required to deliver ECO from 2020, but we at Towy Valley Heating are proud to have been involved with the ECO scheme since it began.
What are ECO3’s Aims?
ECO has pledged to ensure our energy supplies are smarter, cleaner and more secure and affordable to meet future needs. This includes creating a reliable, low cost and clean energy system. As above, the government set out to do this through working with energy suppliers, like us at Towy Valley Heating, to deliver energy efficient measures in homes across the UK – with a particular focus on low income and vulnerable households.
According to gov.uk, the ECO3 scheme’s main policies include:
- Supporting households that have a broken heating system by allowing the equivalent of 35,000 broken heating systems to be replaced per year.
- Encouraging a multiple measure approach by allowing the replacement of inefficient heating systems to be replaced (outside of the broken heating system cap) if they are installed alongside insulation.
- Increasing the proportion of the scheme that can be delivered under local authority flexible eligibility to 25%.
- Requiring 15% of measures to be delivered to rural homes.
- Requiring the equivalent of at least 17,000 solid walled homes to be treated per year, either through solid wall insulation, or using a combination of other technologies (if equivalent savings can be achieved in the property).
If you are interested in reading the full obligation, it is available to view here.
What Has ECO3 Achieved?
As of February 2021, the Energy Company Obligation have installed 2,883,639 efficiency measures under the Energy Company to over 2.1 million households – an incredible achievement. However, there are 6.5 million households that are eligible – meaning that you could be one of those households still entitled to free heating measures or financial support towards them.* Read on to find out if you are eligible.
*Most eligible boiler installs have full funding but, in some cases, a small contribution might be required.
Am I Eligible for Free Heating Measures?
To find out if you can get a free boiler – or other heating measure – as part of the ECO3 scheme, check out our blog post which guides you through the essential steps to find out if you are eligible for a grant.
The basic criteria requires you to be on an eligible benefits, to be a home owner, and to have a boiler that is at least 5 years old.
If you are eligible, you can apply for a grant through Towy Valley Heating here. Alternatively, you can call our dedicated office team on 01269 400 35, or contact us via email at info@towyvalleyheating.co.uk. We are more than happy to help.
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Written by Holly Charman, for Towy Valley Heating.