The 2019 editions of the retrofit standards PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 ceased to be applicable on 30 March 2025, according to Ofgem guidance on the administration of mid-scheme changes to the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) and the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). From that date, only the 2023 versions of the standards can be used1. The transition period between the two editions ended on 30 March 20252.
The change follows a government consultation issued on 14 November 2024, which proposed replacing references to PAS 2035/2030:2019 with PAS 2035/2030:2023 in legislation3. A new version of the standards had been published in September 2023, subject to an 18-month transition3. Ofgem, which administers both schemes, set out its proposed approach in a consultation published on 7 April 2025 and open for five weeks, closing on 12 May 20252. The consultation decision, published on 26 June 2025, confirmed the final approach4.
"From 30 March 2025, the old standards are no longer applicable and only the new standards can be used."
Compliance with the standards is evidenced through registration with TrustMark and its Quality Assurance Framework. Measures covered by PAS, and any project containing them, should be lodged with TrustMark and awarded a certificate of lodgement to become a qualifying action1. The government consultation noted that a certificate of lodgement indicates a project has been installed by or under a TrustMark registered installer, but does not confirm compliance with all TrustMark requirements3.
The West Midlands Combined Authority, which runs a devolved retrofit pilot, states that the 2019 standards were withdrawn on 30 March 2025 and replaced with the 2023 standards5. Its pilot runs for three financial years, from April 2025 to March 2028, and covers the West Midlands County5.
| Standard | Status from 30 March 2025 |
|---|---|
| PAS 2030:2019 | No longer applicable1 |
| PAS 2035:2019 | No longer applicable1 |
| PAS 2030:2023 | In use1 |
| PAS 2035:2023 | In use1 |
Why it matters for households
The PAS 2035 and PAS 2030 standards set the process by which a home is assessed, a retrofit designed and measures installed. For a householder, the practical effect is that any work funded through ECO4 or GBIS from 30 March 2025 must follow the 2023 editions. The government consultation put its cost assumption for compliance with the 2019 processes at £1,030 per property retrofit in 2023 prices, for both ECO4 and GBIS, and said there was insufficient evidence to change that assumption in the GBIS impact assessment3. The consultation also proposed allowing an alternative installation standard to PAS for specific low-cost single measures under GBIS, with TrustMark consulting on the details3.
Registration through TrustMark remains the route by which compliance is evidenced, and a certificate of lodgement is required for a measure to qualify1. The regulation and policy framework governing these schemes is set by government, with Ofgem administering it4.
What happens next
Ofgem's consultation on its administrative approach closed on 12 May 2025, and the decision was published on 26 June 20254. Ofgem received 18 responses, including from 9 suppliers, 5 installers and 4 from related industry bodies and consumers4. It said final guidance will be published in due course4. The government consultation on mid-scheme changes ran from 14 November 2024 to 12 December 20243. ECO4 and GBIS are due to end concurrently on 31 March 20262.
Sources5 cited
- Proposed Administration of Mid-scheme Changes to ECO4 and GBIS, ofgem.gov.uk
- Administration of Mid-Scheme Changes to ECO4 and GBIS, ofgem.gov.uk
- Energy Company Obligation 4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme: mid-scheme changes - consultation - GOV.UK, gov.uk
- Consultation decision on administration of mid-scheme changes to ECO4 and GBIS, ofgem.gov.uk
- WMCA Devolved Retrofit Pilot – FAQs, wmca.org.uk