Ofgem published a decision statement on 12 June 2023 setting out its final position on the administration of the Great British Insulation Scheme for Local Authority (LA) and Supplier Flex, and on potential amendments to its existing administrative approach within ECO4 Flex1.
The regulator opened a consultation on 5 April 2023 seeking stakeholder views on those proposals. It closed on 28 April 2023 and drew 16 responses from what Ofgem describes as a variety of stakeholders, including Local Authorities, energy suppliers, managing agents, installers and charities1.
"The document below is our consultation decision which sets out our final position."
Ofgem states that the decision document 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 decision itself is published as a PDF of 302.10KB1.
The consultation covered two linked areas: the proposed administration of the Great British Insulation Scheme for LA and Supplier Flex, and potential amendments to the current administrative approach within ECO4 Flex1. Both routes sit under the Great British Insulation Scheme and ECO4, which are separate schemes with different eligibility rules and delivery routes, compared in our guide to GBIS versus ECO4.
The decision statement does not, in the material published on the page, set out the specific changes Ofgem has made to its approach, the measures affected or any revised eligibility criteria. Those details sit in the linked PDF, and have not been reported here. Ofgem's role in overseeing these schemes, and how it sits alongside government energy policy, is covered in our page on what the energy regulator does.
Why it matters for households
The Great British Insulation Scheme and ECO4 are the two main routes by which households on lower incomes or in lower council tax bands can have insulation installed at reduced or no cost. How Ofgem administers the LA and Supplier Flex elements determines which households can be referred into the schemes without going through the standard eligibility checks, and how quickly installers can start work once a referral is made.
For a household, the practical effect of an administrative decision of this kind is indirect but real: it shapes whether a council or a supplier can put a home forward, how much evidence a household is asked to provide, and how long the process takes from referral to installation. Insulation reduces the energy needed to keep a home warm, which is the part of a household's energy position that does not depend on wholesale prices or supplier behaviour. Our guide to insulation and energy independence sets out that relationship.
Households that receive correspondence about insulation schemes and want to check whether it is genuine can use our guide to Ofgem letters about insulation. Eligibility for the Great British Insulation Scheme is set out in our GBIS eligibility page, and the relationship between the Warm Homes: Local Grant and GBIS is covered in our comparison of the two.
What happens next
The decision statement is dated 12 June 2023 and sets out Ofgem's final position following the consultation1. No further dates, implementation timetable or transitional arrangements are given on the published page.