Double Glazing Grants And ECO Funding In The UK

Double Glazing Grants And ECO Funding In The UK

In the quest for double glazing grants you may have come across the term “ECO Funding” before. This is probably one of the most established methods of funding energy saving measures in the UK so you need to know what it is and if you are able to tap into this source of grant funding?

So, let me do my best to explain what it is and how it works and answer the question can ECO funding cover double glazing grants in the UK?

ECO Explained

ECO stands for Energy Company Obligation and is basically a scheme to help reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and address fuel poverty.

The Government has put the onus on the energy suppliers who are obliged to promote measures to households on low income, in fuel poverty or who are classed as vulnerable which will make it easier and cost less to heat their homes. This means that if you fall into one of these categories there may be grants available to fund measures which will improve energy efficiency and result in heating savings.

ECO has been around for some time now. It started back in April 2013 and has been amended over the years. We are currently at ECO3 which started in December 2018 and runs through to March 2022.

There is just a single obligation under ECO3 and that is to reduce home heating costs. This is appropriately known as the Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation (HHCRO) and energy companies must meet their total obligation by March 2022. That basically means that if you fit into the criteria then there’s free money to access which can be spent on a variety of improvements that will reduce your energy consumption and hence save you money on your heating costs.

Double Glazing Grants and ECO Funding

As this website is specifically focussed on double glazing grants the question will be is the cost of double glazing covered under ECO3.

The short answer is no. The actual measures that ECO funding can be used for will vary from property to property but the list typically includes the following:

  • Loft insulation
  • Cavity wall insulation
  • Solid wall insulation (External or Internal Wall Insulation)
  • Boiler replacement / repair

That said, it’s always worth a conversation with your landlord who may see the benefit in a wider retrofit project to include new windows if he is getting insulation measures and heating improvements without cost.

As for eligibility for ECO you should either:

  1. Own your own home
  2. Have obtained permission from the property owner – your landlord, social housing provider or property Management Company.

ECO3 is specifically targeting those households officially classed as being in ‘fuel poverty’. In other words those who are really struggling to heat their home. This could mean being in receipt of certain benefits which the OFGEM website lists as:

  • Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Child Benefit (on certain conditions)
  • Constant Attendance Allowance
  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Pension Guarantee Credit
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • Income Support
  • Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
  • Mobility Supplement
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Severe Disablement Allowance
  • Tax Credits (Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits)
  • Universal Credit

That still means that around 6.5 million households are eligible for ECO grant funding. It’s not a loan, there’s no need to pay anything back – it’s a financial obligation that energy companies must make out of their profits to reduce fuel poverty, energy consumption and heating costs.

What’s Next For ECO?

What’s Next For ECO?

As I said, ECO3 is scheduled to conclude by March 2022. It’s expected that it will be superseded (ECO4) and continue further. Will the next amendment of ECO funding include double glazing grants … all we can say is that we’ll keep you posted!

Double Glazing Grants and ECO Funding

Even though ECO doesn’t provide any form of double glazing grant if you tick the boxes it’s well worth applying. It could make life more comfortable and save you on heating costs.

If you live in England or Wales I suggest you start with a visit to the Simple Energy Advice website. If you live in Scotland, you should start with the Home Energy Scotland website.

Alternatively make contact with an energy supplier (it doesn’t even need to be the one you buy your energy from). All the major companies are obligated and have money ready to spend.