ECO4 now ends 31 December 2026 with no ECO5 successor. GBIS closed March 2026. What the Warm Homes Plan means for households, landlords and installers.
ECO4 end date December 2026: what replaces it (and why there is no ECO5)
Last updated:26 July 2026
TheEnergy Company Obligation (ECO4)scheme now runs until31 December 2026, nine months longer than the original March 2026 deadline. After that date,there will be no ECO5and no further supplier-obligation phase. Government funding shifts to the[Warm Homes Plan](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/warm-homes-plan/warm-homes-plan-html), direct grants, local delivery and landlord support rather than energy suppliers meeting national targets.
If you searched "what replaces ECO4", the short answer is:the Warm Homes Plan, not a renamed ECO scheme. The Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) already closed to new applications on31 March 2026. ECO4 is the last chapter of the ECO framework.
This guide sets out confirmed dates, what changes for households and landlords, and practical steps before the December 2026 cut-off.
Quick timeline: ECO4, GBIS and what comes next
- Scheme:ECO4| Status in July 2026: Open , final supplier-obligation phase | End date :31 December 2026
- Scheme:GBIS| Status in July 2026: Closed to new applications | End date :31 March 2026(as planned)
- Scheme:ECO5 / successor obligation| Status in July 2026:Will not happen| End date : Confirmed in November 2025 Budget
- Scheme:Warm Homes Plan| Status in July 2026: Active , grants, loans, landlord routes | End date : Ongoing through this Parliament (~£15bn capital)
- Scheme:Warm Homes: Local Grant| Status in July 2026: Live in participating councils | End date : Rolling (England)
- Scheme:Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)| Status in July 2026: Open , separate from ECO | End date : Ongoing (grant rates updated July 2026)
Sources:Extending the ECO4 end date: government response;Warm Homes Plan.
Why ECO4 was extended to December 2026
ECO4 was due to close on31 March 2026. In early 2026, government consulted on a nine-month extension. Theconsultation outcomeconfirmed:
- End date moved to 31 December 2026, giving obligated energy suppliers time to meet existing targets and remediate non-compliant installations
- No increase in overall obligation targets, the extension is for orderly closure, not a larger programme
- No carry-over mechanism, because there is no successor scheme to carry obligations into
- Solid wall and EFG minimum requirementsstay at current levels, to be met by the new deadline
- The45% uplift for trades and transferscontinues until 31 December 2026; the additional 5% sponsoring-supplier uplift will not apply during the extension
The change is enacted inThe Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) (Specified Period) Order 2026(SI 2026/361).
National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee scrutiny in late 2025 highlighted installation quality and remediation backlogs. The extension lets the supply chain focus onclosing out compliant work and fixing legacy problemsrather than racing into a new obligation.
There is no ECO5: what government confirmed
At theNovember 2025 Budget, government announcedno successor supplier obligationafter ECO4. That position is repeated in both the extension consultation response and theECO4 grant-funding amendment response(December 2025).
The policy shift is deliberate:
- ECOrequired large energy suppliers to fund efficiency measures via consumer bills, with Ofgem oversight
- Warm Homes Planusesdirect government capital(~£15 billion this Parliament, including an extra£1.5 billionfor low-income households announced at Budget)
- Delivery moves towardlocal grants, targeted fuel-poverty support, landlord programmes and low-interest finance , not a national supplier quota
So searches for "ECO5 start date" or "ECO4 replacement scheme" should land on Warm Homes routes, not an ECO4 clone.
What the Warm Homes Plan replaces
TheWarm Homes Plan, published January 2026, is the umbrella for post-ECO funding. Key pillars relevant to households:
Warm Homes: Local Grant (England)
Council-led,fully fundedupgrades for eligible owner-occupiers and private tenants where the local authority has allocation. Typical measures include insulation, heat pumps, solar and controls , survey-led. See ourfree home improvement grants guideand theofficial checker.
Landlord and private rented support
The Warm Homes Plan includeslandlord fundingand ties intoMEES(minimum EPC band C by 2030, with a£10,000 cost capper property). Landlords should not assume ECO4 tenant eligibility will automatically transfer , WHLG and landlord routes have separate rules. Start at ourlandlords hubandWarm Homes Plan overview.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (still separate)
BUS remains agrant toward heat pump installation, not a whole-house ECO-style package. From21 July 2026, oil-heated homes can receive£9,000toward an air-source heat pump , see ourBUS £9,000 guide. BUS and ECO4cannot fund the same measure(double-funding rules apply).
GBIS , already closed
GBIS targeted mid-band properties (typically D and E) with single-measure insulation. Itended as planned on 31 March 2026and was not extended alongside ECO4. Households who missed GBIS should look at WHLG or paid retrofit, not wait for a GBIS reopening.
Who should still apply for ECO4 before December 2026?
ECO4 remains the mainsupplier-funded, whole-houseroute forlow-income and fuel-poor households, often those on qualifying benefits, in EPC bands D–G, with a need for insulation and heating upgrades together.
Apply sooner rather than laterbecause:
- Processing takes weeks, survey, approval, installation and supplier reporting must complete before suppliers close out obligations
- Funding is finite, obligated suppliers are working to existing caps; priority often goes toEPC F and Ghomes with the greatest bill savings potential
- No automatic rollover, eligibility under ECO4 does not guarantee Warm Homes Plan support at the same level after 2026
Tenants in private rented homes can benefit when the landlord agrees and the household meets income or vulnerability criteria. Landlords do not receive ECO4 funding directly, but compliant upgrades can support future MEES compliance , subject to consent and tenancy law.
Use ourgrants overviewto compare ECO4 installers with WHLG and BUS routes.
Double-funding rules: ECO4 plus other grants
From 2026, government tightened rules so ECO4 measurescannot also be paid forby specified grants, including:
- Warm Homes: Local Grant
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund
- Scottish and Welsh equivalent schemes
If you have already received BUS or WHLG funding for a measure, that measurecannot count as ECO4 qualifying action. Your installer should confirm funding stacks before work starts. Full list:ECO4 grant-funding government response.
What landlords need to know
ECO4 istenant-household led, not a landlord entitlement scheme. For portfolio compliance:
- MEES 2030, plan EPC C upgrades on fabric plus heating or smart readiness; seeWarm Homes Plan landlord section
- Between schemes, if tenants do not qualify for ECO4, WHLG or landlord Warm Homes funding may apply depending on property and council
- Do not delay ECO4 tenant applicationswhere eligible , the December 2026 cliff is real; our earlier piece onwhy extension timing mattersstill applies for queue management
Commercial landlords with mixed portfolios should map each property: EPC band, tenant eligibility, council WHLG status, and whether BUS suits heating-only upgrades.
What installers and the supply chain should expect
Installers accredited under PAS 2030 / TrustMark for ECO4 should plan fororderly wind-down, not ECO5 onboarding:
- Remediation priority, extension focus includes fixing non-compliant legacy installs
- Warm Homes delivery, new PAS 2035-led work through councils and Warm Homes programmes; accreditation requirements continue
- No obligation carry-over, suppliers cannot bank unfinished ECO4 credit into a successor scheme
Training and software providers should pivot messaging from "ECO4 installer" toWarm Homes Plan delivery partner.
ECO4 vs Warm Homes Plan: at a glance
- Feature: Funding model | ECO4 (until Dec 2026): Energy supplier obligation (via bills) | Warm Homes Plan (from 2026 onward) : Direct government capital and grants
- Feature: Delivery | ECO4 (until Dec 2026): Accredited installers via suppliers | Warm Homes Plan (from 2026 onward) : Local grants, targeted programmes, loans
- Feature: Typical customer | ECO4 (until Dec 2026): Low income, fuel poor, EPC D–G | Warm Homes Plan (from 2026 onward) : Broader , fuel poor, landlords, general homeowners (route-dependent)
- Feature: Measures | ECO4 (until Dec 2026): Whole-house insulation + heating | Warm Homes Plan (from 2026 onward) : Insulation, heat pumps, solar, batteries, smart controls
- Feature: Successor | ECO4 (until Dec 2026): None , final ECO phase | Warm Homes Plan (from 2026 onward) : Long-term programme (~£15bn this Parliament)
Practical checklist before 31 December 2026
- Check EPC band, ECO4 prioritises poorly performing homes; order a new assessment if yours is outdated
- Confirm household eligibility, benefits, income thresholds and vulnerability criteria vary by route; ask an accredited ECO4 installer or usegrants guidance
- Apply to WHLG in parallel if in England, councils allocate separately; do not assume one application covers both
- Landlords: separate tenant consent, ECO4 in rented homes needs cooperation; document agreements
- Avoid double funding, declare any BUS, WHLG or prior grant on the same measure
- Book early, allow8–12 weeksminimum from first contact to completed install before year-end pressure
Frequently asked questions
Is ECO4 still available in 2026?
Yes. ECO4 runs until31 December 2026. GBIS closed to new applications on31 March 2026.
Will there be an ECO5 scheme?
No. Government has confirmedno successor supplier obligationafter ECO4. Funding transfers to theWarm Homes Planmodel.
What is the official ECO4 end date?
31 December 2026, extended from 31 March 2026 bySI 2026/361.
Can I get ECO4 and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Not for thesame measure. Double-funding rules block combining ECO4 with BUS, WHLG and other listed grants on identical works.
I missed ECO4 , what now?
CheckWarm Homes: Local Grantvia your council,BUSfor heat pumps, and landlord programmes if you rent out property. Our2026 grants comparisonwalks through each route.
Does the Warm Homes Plan cover Scotland and Wales?
ECO4 applies inGreat Britain(England, Wales, Scotland). WHLG isEngland only. Scotland and Wales have devolved schemes (Home Energy Scotland, Nest, etc.) , ECO4 double-funding rules reference these separately.
Bottom line
ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026.There isno ECO5. TheWarm Homes Plan, local grants, landlord support, BUS and wider capital investment , is the replacement architecture, not another energy-supplier obligation.
If you or your tenants may qualify for ECO4,start the application process now. If not, map Warm Homes routes before the supplier-obligation window closes. For a full comparison of live funding, see ourgrants huborbook a free assessmentto check property eligibility.
*Cucumber Eco helps UK households and landlords navigate grants, EPC compliance and retrofit planning. This article is for general information , scheme rules change; confirm eligibility with an accredited installer or your local authority before committing to work.*
