The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero published its response to the consultation on the design of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) 2023 to 2026 in March 2023, following a consultation held under the name ECO+ in November 20221. The scheme previously consulted on as ECO+ is now the Great British Insulation Scheme, and the department has named Ofgem as its intended Administrator1.
Ofgem set out its own proposed administration of the scheme in a separate consultation, which ran for five weeks from 11 May 2023 until 16 June 2023 and has since closed with a decision1. Responses were directed to gbisconsultation@ofgem.gov.uk, with Chandni Bhudia named as the contact1.
"This scheme was previously consulted on by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero under the name 'ECO+' in November 2022. The consultation outlined policy proposals for the scheme and the response was published in March 2023."
The March 2023 response covered policy proposals for the scheme, while Ofgem's later consultation covered how the scheme would be administered and included proposed amendments to ECO41. The dates and figures reported are as follows.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| ECO+ consultation | November 20221 |
| Government response published | March 20231 |
| Ofgem administration consultation opened | 11 May 20231 |
| Ofgem administration consultation closed | 17 June 20231 |
| Consultation length | 5 weeks1 |
| Intended Administrator | Ofgem1 |
Why it matters for households
The Great British Insulation Scheme is the successor to the scheme consulted on as ECO+, and it sits alongside ECO4 as a route to insulation and other efficiency measures for homes1. The March 2023 response set the policy shape of the scheme, while Ofgem's role as intended Administrator means it would oversee how the scheme operates in practice1. For a household, the practical effect is that the rules governing which homes qualify, which measures are funded and how installers and suppliers take part are decided through this consultation process rather than set by individual companies. The Great British Insulation Scheme and ECO4 are the two schemes named in the documents, and the relationship between them is set out in the comparison of GBIS and ECO4. Eligibility for the insulation scheme is covered in the GBIS eligibility guidance. How such rules are proposed and decided is explained in the guide to energy consultations, and the department responsible is covered in the profile of DESNZ.
What happens next
Ofgem's administration consultation closed on 17 June 2023 and is recorded as closed with a decision1. The sources do not report the content of that decision, the final scheme rules, or any start date for applications.