If you are struggling with rising energy costs and keeping your home warm, help may be at hand at no cost to you to make your home more energy efficient. Find out about the current schemes available, and how to check your eligibility below.
ECO4
ECO4 is a government-backed energy efficiency scheme designed to both tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions, funded by the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). It is running until March 2026, and is focused on improving the energy efficiency of our worst performing homes through employing a range of (funded) retrofitting measures, such as wall and loft insulation, upgrades to renewable heating systems, new heating controls and solar panels.
Only homes with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D - G will be treated.
Eligibility is also linked to the household occupants. You must be in receipt of an income related benefit – such as Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income-based Job Seekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit to qualify through the usual route, although under ECO Flex, local authorities are able to widen out eligibility so additional households can benefit. For Wigan, this means that low-income households (with a gross annual income of less than £31,000) will also be considered, alongside those suffering from a long-term health condition that is affected by living in a cold home.
View the Greater Manchester Combined Authority ECO4 Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent for the full eligibility criteria and referral routes in respect of Wigan households.
Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS)
Whereas ECO4 takes a whole-house retrofit approach, GBIS is focused on single insulation measures such as cavity wall, solid wall, loft, roof and underfloor insulation. Only homes with an EPC rating of D-G, and within Council Tax bands A-D, will be considered, with priority also given to supporting low-income and vulnerable households.
Like ECO4, the scheme will run until March 2026. Insulation measures will be free or discounted; if there is anything to pay, this will be confirmed after a home assessment.
Check your eligibility online
Through GMCA’s Retrofit Portal (external link) you can easily check your eligibility and apply for the main energy efficiency schemes operating across Greater Manchester. All you will need to hand are basic property and contact details, along with a confirmation of any benefits received, household income or proof of long-term health condition (with a tool available to upload your evidence).
If eligible, your application will then be routed through to the relevant installer, who will make contact and look to arrange a home survey.
Prefer some advice?
If you would prefer to speak with someone in relation to the available funded schemes or would benefit from some help to access the Portal you can reach our dedicated LEAD (energy advice) team on 01942 489209.
Alternatively, you can log an enquiry online for the team.