Ofgem's consultation on the administration of the Great British Insulation Scheme and amendments to ECO4 closed on 16 June 2023, having received 17 responses from a variety of stakeholders, including energy suppliers, installers and an independent organisation promoting energy efficiency1.
The regulator had published the consultation on 11 May 2023, seeking stakeholder views on its proposed administration of the policies on the Great British Insulation Scheme and amendments to ECO4 regulations as outlined in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's consultation response1. The consultation formed part of the process by which energy consultations turn proposed rules into decided ones.
Ofgem published its decision on 22 August 2023. The decision document is Ofgem's consultation response and sets out its final position1. In it, Ofgem summarises stakeholder views, presents the points raised and responds to that feedback, then outlines the outcome of the consultation and, where relevant, how it has changed its approach1. The main document is a PDF of 545.68KB1.
"Our consultation closed on 16 June 2023, and we received 17 responses from a variety of stakeholders"
The decision page lists the scheme names as the Great British Insulation Scheme and ECO1. It does not set out, on the page itself, the individual changes Ofgem made to its proposed approach following the responses; those sit in the linked PDF1. The 17 responses are not broken down by respondent beyond the categories named, and no further detail on what each respondent said has been reported1.
Why it matters for households
The Great British Insulation Scheme and ECO4 are the two routes through which homes in Great Britain can be given insulation and other efficiency measures funded by energy suppliers rather than by the householder. How Ofgem administers them determines how suppliers and installers deliver them, and therefore what a household is offered, by whom, and on what terms. The differences between the two routes are set out in Great British Insulation Scheme vs ECO4, and the suppliers that carry the funding obligation are listed in which energy suppliers must fund ECO and what each offers.
For a household, the practical effect of an administration decision is on the paperwork and the process: who verifies eligibility, what evidence is required, and how a completed measure is notified and paid for. A home's energy independence rests on the fabric of the building, and these schemes are the main funded route to improving it for homes that cannot pay for the work outright. Eligibility for the Great British Insulation Scheme is covered in Great British Insulation Scheme Eligibility.
What happens next
Ofgem's decision was published on 22 August 2023, setting out its final position on administration of the two schemes1. No further steps are set out on the decision page beyond the publication of the response document1.