ECO4 Flex Scheme

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government energy efficiency scheme run by Ofgem. This scheme is now in its 4th phase and is expected to run till 31 March 2026. The delivery of the flex scheme is supported by local authorities. 

The scheme provides funding towards energy efficiency measures such as insulation (wall, loft, floor and more), boiler replacements, solar panels and more. In some cases, a contribution towards the cost of measures may be requested from the occupier and/or landlord. 

Who is eligible? 

Your property must have an energy efficiency rating between a D to G. This will be found on an energy performance certificate (EPC) for your property. EPCs rate the energy efficiency of properties on a scale from A to G, with A being the most efficient and G the least efficient. EPCs are stored online and if your property has one it can be viewed on the Government website.  

In addition to the property having an energy efficiency rating between a D to G, you must also meet at least one of the below criteria: 

• Have a household income below £31,000 
• be identified by your doctor or GP as having a health condition which may be impacted by living in a cold home (eg. cardiovascular, immunosuppression, respiratory, limited mobility) 
• be identified by Essex County Council as a vulnerable household which is not eligible under any other scheme 

Income is not taken into consideration if you qualify because of a health condition. 

To gain funding, a survey of the property must be done to determine suitable measures and certain other criteria.  

GBIS Flex scheme 

The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) is a government energy efficiency scheme run by Ofgem. This scheme is expected to run till 31 March 2026. The delivery of the flex scheme is supported by local authorities. 

The scheme provides funding towards energy efficiency measures, specifically different types of insulation (although only one type of insulation can be installed). In some cases, a contribution towards the cost of measures may be requested from the occupier and/or landlord. 

Who is eligible? 

Your property must have an energy efficiency rating between a D to G. In addition to have an energy efficiency rating between a D to G, you must also meet at least one of the below criteria: 

• Have a household income below £31,000 for all occupiers of the home 
• be identified by your doctor or GP as having a health condition which may be impacted by living in a cold home (eg. cardiovascular, immunosuppression, respiratory, limited mobility) 
• Living in a property with a Council tax band between A-D. View the Council tax band for your property. 

If you do not meet the criteria 

The Warm Homes Essex website has details of other funding, advice, and support available in Essex. 

How to apply 

All applications for the ECO4 and GBIS Flex schemes are being handled by Happy Energy Solutions Ltd (HESL). Find out more on Heat Essex. 

You can apply directly using an application form on the Heat Essex website, or you can call the Heat Essex team on 01206 326808.

What happens next 

An advisor from HESL will call you to complete an eligibility assessment over the phone. This will include questions about the household and the residents occupying it.  

If you pass the eligibility assessment your personal data will be shared with an approved contractor. You will need to give consent for this data to be shared. The contractor will then contact you to arrange for a survey of your property. 

You will be told the name of the contractor that will be contacting you. You will not be “cold-called” by doorstep contractors. All eligible applicants will be contacted directly by the contractor to arrange an appointment. If in doubt, contact HESL on 01206 326808. 

Once the survey is done and measures are agreed, the contractor will ask for additional paperwork to be able to process the application. The contractor will advise on the timeline for works to be done. 

Information for suppliers and contractors 

Essex County Council have appointed Happy Energy Solutions Ltd (HESL) as the Managing Agent for ECO4 and GBIS Flex being delivered across Essex, including in Colchester. 

Only declarations submitted to and by HESL can be considered for funding. No declaration requests made directly to Essex County Council, by suppliers and contractors, will be accepted. 

All interested suppliers must be onboarded with HESL before declarations can be made. Fees will apply. For full details of the onboarding process, visit Heat Flex.