West Lindsey District Council published its July 2025 Statement of Intent for ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) in July 2025, setting out the full eligibility criteria for both schemes and their Flex routes1. The document replaces the council's October 2024 Statement of Intent and earlier versions dating back to October 20201.
ECO4 is a national funding scheme that "requires medium and large energy suppliers to support energy efficiency improvements for eligible households", the council says, and is "designed to tackle fuel poverty while also reducing carbon emissions through supporting whole house energy efficiency improvements for eligible households"1. The council is explicit that "ECO4 is not a grant scheme as it is your energy providers decision which retrofit projects that they choose to fund"1. Measures that may be installed include insulation, boilers and central heating, and solar and renewable energy technologies1. To apply through the standard route, a household must be in receipt of means tested benefits and live in a property with an energy performance certificate rating of D, E, F or G1. ECO4 is available for private owner occupiers and private rented properties meeting the criteria1.
GBIS sits alongside ECO4 and offers "eligible households free or cheaper insulation for a single retrofit insulation measure"1. The council states that GBIS supports a broader range of households than ECO4, so residents who may not be eligible for ECO4 may be eligible for GBIS1. Support may be available where a home has an EPC of D to G and is in council tax bands A to D, in privately owned homes or rented homes with permission from the landlord1. Measures listed include loft, solid wall, pitched roof, flat roof, under floor and solid floor insulation1. The council also states that "Applications for the Great British Insulation Scheme have now closed"1.
Where households do not qualify through their energy company, the Flex routes allow local authorities to apply wider eligibility criteria1. The council lists three routes: a gross household income of under £31,000; meeting a combination of two proxies, such as homes in areas of high multiple deprivation or households receiving a Council Tax rebate; or an NHS referral for households identified as low income and vulnerable, with an occupant whose health conditions may be impacted further by living in a cold home1.
"Our role in ECO Flex is to assess the eligibility of a household"
The council states it "only approves applications under ECO4 Flex and GBIS Flex and are not involved or liable for any works that take place on a resident's house", that ECO Flex is run by private companies (installers) with funding awarded by energy suppliers, and that complaints about an installer should be made to Ofgem or the energy provider1.
Why it matters for households
The published criteria determine whether a household can be referred for a retrofit measure at all, and through which route. The distinction the council draws between a grant and supplier-funded work matters practically: under ECO4 the energy provider decides which projects it funds, so eligibility does not guarantee installation1. The council also states that "the funding for ECO4 is limited and is currently close to being fully allocated at this stage", that this may have affected applications already started, and that some installers are now unable to install measures despite householders being eligible1. For a home relying on the scheme to move out of a low EPC band, that constraint sits outside the household's control. The Flex routes widen who can be referred, but the council's role ends at assessing eligibility1.
What happens next
Householders interested in ECO4, ECO Flex or GBIS Flex are directed to the council's local authority partner, YES Energy Solutions, on 03309 126199, weekdays from 9am to 5pm, or to their energy supplier directly1. GBIS applications have closed1. The council says it does not manage or deliver ECO4 and directs declined applicants to keep checking its website for alternative funding solutions1. No reopening date for GBIS applications has been reported.
Sources1 cited
- ECO4 Scheme | West Lindsey District Council, west-lindsey.gov.uk