ECO4 vs GBIS: Key Differences Explained 2026
ECO4 Guide ·
What’s the Difference Between ECO4 and GBIS?
The main difference between ECO4 and GBIS is the type of help they provided. ECO4 can fund a wider package of insulation, heating and renewable energy improvements for eligible households. GBIS mainly supported insulation in a broader range of homes. GBIS closed on 31 March 2026, while ECO4 remains open until 31 December 2026.
Important: InstantGrant is an independent grant information and application support service. We are not the UK Government, Ofgem, an energy supplier or an installer. We do not award funding or guarantee that an application will be approved.
About This ECO4 and GBIS Comparison
This guide explains how the two energy efficiency schemes differed and what those differences mean for households in 2026. The information has been checked against current Ofgem scheme guidance and the government decision to extend ECO4. Rules, installer capacity and local funding availability can change, so applicants should confirm their position before agreeing to any work.
What’s the Difference Between ECO4 and GBIS in 2026?
ECO4 and GBIS were both energy supplier obligations covering England, Scotland and Wales. However, they were created for different purposes. ECO4 targets fuel poverty through more complete home upgrades. GBIS was designed to install insulation more quickly across both low income households and a wider general group.
Comparison | ECO4 | GBIS |
|---|---|---|
Current status | Open until 31 December 2026 | Closed on 31 March 2026 |
Main purpose | Improve inefficient homes occupied by households facing fuel poverty | Install insulation in a wider range of inefficient homes |
Typical approach | A whole home assessment and a package of suitable improvements | Mainly one insulation measure, with two measures possible in certain cases |
Household eligibility | Qualifying benefits, Warm Home Discount groups or an ECO4 Flex referral | A low income group and a wider general group |
Property eligibility | Generally homes with an EPC rating from D to G, subject to tenure rules | General group homes needed EPC D to G and an eligible Council Tax band |
Measures | Insulation, eligible heating improvements, renewable heating, controls and some solar installations | Primarily loft, wall, roof or floor insulation, with limited heating controls for some households |
Benefits required | Usually, unless the household qualifies through ECO4 Flex or another approved route | Benefits were not always required under the general group |
Guaranteed funding | No | No |
Northern Ireland | Not available | Was not available |
You cannot choose between ECO4 and GBIS now because GBIS is no longer accepting applications. If you need help in 2026, the practical question is whether you qualify for ECO4 or another current programme in your nation.
What Is the ECO4 Scheme?
ECO4 is the fourth phase of the Energy Company Obligation. It places a legal obligation on medium and large energy suppliers to support energy efficiency improvements in qualifying homes. It is commonly described as a grant, but Ofgem defines it as a supplier obligation rather than a conventional cash grant.
The scheme concentrates on households facing fuel poverty and homes with poor energy efficiency. A retrofit assessment identifies which improvements are suitable. The householder does not normally select individual products from a fixed menu.
Who Can Qualify for ECO4?
A private household may qualify when an eligible resident receives a qualifying means tested benefit. The current benefit route includes Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, income based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income related Employment and Support Allowance, both types of Pension Credit and Child Benefit within the applicable income limits.
Some households can qualify through the Warm Home Discount route. A household that does not receive a listed benefit may still be referred under ECO4 Flex if it meets criteria published by its council or devolved administration. These criteria can include a low income, high energy costs or a health condition made worse by living in a cold home.
Read the complete guide to funding available under ECO4 for a detailed explanation of eligible improvements.
What Can ECO4 Provide?
ECO4 follows a whole home approach. Depending on the survey, construction and existing heating system, a project could include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, room in roof insulation, floor insulation, heating controls, first time central heating, renewable heating or an eligible boiler improvement.
Solar panels can form part of some ECO4 packages, but they are not automatically included. Every measure must contribute to an eligible project and meet the scheme’s technical requirements.
For a full ECO4 project, the usual minimum improvement is from EPC bands D or E to at least band C, or from bands F or G to at least band D. The actual result depends on the property and the measures that can be installed safely.
What Was the Great British Insulation Scheme?
The Great British Insulation Scheme was a separate supplier obligation that ran from 2023 until 31 March 2026. It was previously called ECO Plus. Its main purpose was to improve insulation in inefficient homes, including some households that would not have qualified through the standard ECO4 benefits route.
GBIS mostly delivered a single insulation measure following an assessment. Later rule changes allowed two measures from specified insulation categories to be installed together in some projects. This did not turn GBIS into the same type of wider retrofit programme as ECO4.
Who Could Qualify for GBIS?
GBIS had a low income group and a general group. The low income group broadly supported households receiving qualifying benefits or accepted through a flexible eligibility route. The general group widened access according to the condition and Council Tax band of the property.
Under the general group, the home normally needed an EPC rating from D to G. It also needed to be in Council Tax bands A to D in England or A to E in Scotland and Wales. This was one of the most important differences between ECO4 and GBIS because a qualifying benefit was not always required.
What Measures Did GBIS Cover?
GBIS concentrated on insulation, including cavity wall, solid wall, loft, pitched roof, flat roof, room in roof and floor insulation where suitable. The measure offered depended on the assessment, the delivery arrangements of the supplier and the expected energy saving.
Some low income households could also receive secondary heating controls, such as a room thermostat or boiler programmer. GBIS did not generally provide the broad heating and renewable energy package that may be available through ECO4.
Check Which Energy Grant May Fit Your Home
GBIS has closed, but your household may still qualify for ECO4 or another current energy efficiency scheme. InstantGrant can help you understand the available routes before you contact an installer.
Eligibility and funding are subject to assessment. InstantGrant does not award grants or guarantee approval.
ECO4 vs GBIS Eligibility: Why GBIS Reached More Homes
GBIS reached beyond households receiving means tested benefits because its general group used the property’s EPC rating and Council Tax band. ECO4 has stricter household eligibility, although ECO4 Flex gives councils a route to refer certain low income or medically vulnerable residents who do not receive a qualifying benefit.
Household situation | ECO4 position | Former GBIS position |
|---|---|---|
Receives a qualifying means tested benefit | May qualify if the home and proposed project meet the rules | Could have qualified through the low income group |
Does not receive benefits | May qualify through ECO4 Flex | Could have qualified through the general group |
Low EPC rating but higher Council Tax band | Could qualify if household criteria were met | Usually excluded from the general group |
Needs only a basic insulation measure | Possible where it forms an eligible ECO4 project | This was the main purpose of GBIS |
Needs insulation and a heating improvement | Potentially suitable for a wider ECO4 package | Usually outside the main scope of GBIS |
Meeting the headline conditions did not guarantee an installation under either scheme. Suppliers decided which projects they would fund, how much support they would provide and which installers would complete the work.
Was ECO4 or GBIS Worth More?
Neither scheme gave households a fixed cash amount. The value depended on the work approved for the property. ECO4 packages can be worth more because they may contain several expensive measures. A GBIS project was usually smaller because it concentrated on insulation.
Describing either scheme as automatically free can be misleading. An energy supplier or delivery partner could fund all the approved work, but some households were asked to contribute. Property repairs, decorative work and improvements outside the approved package could also remain the householder’s responsibility.
The strongest offer is not always the one with the highest quoted value. Appropriate design, ventilation, installation quality, warranties and expected energy savings are more important than a large headline figure.
Can You Apply for ECO4 After GBIS Closed?
You can apply for ECO4 after the closure of GBIS if your household, property and proposed measures satisfy ECO4 rules. Previous GBIS eligibility does not create automatic ECO4 eligibility because the schemes used different household and property tests.
Start by checking your EPC, household benefits, income circumstances and local council’s ECO4 Flex statement. You can then approach an obligated energy supplier or a suitable registered delivery provider. You do not have to buy energy from the supplier that considers your ECO4 project.
Use InstantGrant’s guide explaining how to check ECO4 eligibility before sharing personal documents with an applicant support service or installer.
What If Your GBIS Application Was Not Completed?
An unfinished GBIS enquiry does not automatically move into ECO4. If no installation was completed before the GBIS deadline, contact the company that handled your application and ask for written confirmation of the project status. You may then need a fresh assessment under ECO4 or another current scheme.
If work was completed but documents are missing, request your installation record, guarantee, product information and the contact details for the installer and retrofit professionals. The end of GBIS does not remove valid guarantees or the right to complain about poor work.
If an installer says it can still submit a new GBIS application, treat that claim carefully. According to the official Ofgem GBIS information, the scheme closed on 31 March 2026.
What Can You Apply for Instead of GBIS?
The best replacement depends on where you live, your income, your EPC rating and the improvement your home needs. There is no single programme that copies the former GBIS general group across every part of the UK.
Nation | Current routes to check | Important point |
|---|---|---|
England | ECO4, ECO4 Flex and the Warm Homes Local Grant | The Warm Homes Local Grant is council led and normally supports privately owned homes with EPC D to G |
Scotland | ECO4, ECO4 Flex, Warmer Homes Scotland and Home Energy Scotland support | Eligibility and funding differ from schemes offered in England |
Wales | ECO4, ECO4 Flex and the Nest scheme | Nest has its own household and property assessment process |
Northern Ireland | Affordable Warmth and other local energy support | ECO4 and GBIS do not cover Northern Ireland |
Households in England and Wales replacing a fossil fuel heating system may also want to examine the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. It supports eligible low carbon heating installations but follows different rules from ECO4 and does not provide a general insulation grant.
Checks to Make Before Accepting Energy Efficiency Work
A genuine assessment should consider the whole building, including moisture, ventilation and the condition of existing walls or roofs. Insulation fitted to an unsuitable or damp structure can cause serious problems, so do not accept work based only on a short telephone assessment.
Ask which scheme will fund the work and request the answer in writing.
Confirm whether you must pay any contribution before signing.
Check the installer and relevant retrofit professionals through recognised registration services.
Request a clear list of the measures included and excluded.
Ask how ventilation, damp and necessary repairs were assessed.
Read cancellation terms and never allow pressure to rush your decision.
Keep copies of the survey, contract, guarantees and completion documents.
Neither Ofgem nor the government normally contacts households to promise a guaranteed ECO4 package. Be cautious if a caller asks for bank details, an immediate payment or access to your home before explaining the scheme and company involved.
Common Misunderstandings About ECO4 and GBIS
GBIS Is Still Open Because Some Websites Have Application Forms
GBIS is closed. A website may still collect enquiries, but that does not mean it can create a valid new GBIS project. Ask which active scheme the company intends to use before supplying documents.
ECO4 Is the New Name for GBIS
ECO4 and GBIS were separate schemes that operated at the same time. GBIS was previously known as ECO Plus during its development, which may explain some of the confusion.
Everyone in Council Tax Bands A to D Can Use ECO4
Council Tax bands were particularly relevant to the GBIS general group. They do not create automatic ECO4 eligibility. ECO4 usually requires a qualifying household route alongside an eligible property.
ECO4 Always Gives You a Free Boiler
ECO4 is based on the needs of the home. A boiler may be repaired or replaced as part of an eligible package, but applicants cannot assume that a boiler will be approved as a standalone measure.
Qualifying Means the Work Is Guaranteed
Eligibility allows a project to be considered. It does not force a supplier to fund it. Technical suitability, expected energy savings, local installer capacity and supplier delivery decisions can all affect the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GBIS the same as ECO4?
No. ECO4 is aimed mainly at households facing fuel poverty and uses a wider whole home improvement approach. GBIS mainly funded insulation and included a general group that did not always require a qualifying benefit.
Is the Great British Insulation Scheme still available?
No. GBIS closed on 31 March 2026. Websites describing it as open may contain old information or may be collecting enquiries for different schemes.
When does ECO4 end?
ECO4 is scheduled to end on 31 December 2026. A late application may not leave enough time for assessment, design, approval and installation, so eligible households should act well before the deadline.
Can I qualify for ECO4 if I was eligible for GBIS?
Possibly, but there is no automatic transfer. ECO4 uses different household eligibility and project rules. Check the benefits route and your council’s ECO4 Flex criteria.
Do I need an EPC for ECO4?
The property’s current energy rating is central to an ECO4 assessment. ECO4 focuses on inefficient homes, generally within EPC bands D to G, although detailed rules vary according to tenure and the eligibility route.
Could landlords and tenants use both schemes?
Both schemes included certain rented homes, but landlord permission and property rules applied. ECO4 restrictions for private rented and social housing properties can affect which measures are available.
Can ECO4 pay for insulation?
Yes. ECO4 can support several forms of insulation when they are appropriate for the property and form part of an eligible project. The assessment determines the recommended package.
What replaced GBIS?
No single nationwide scheme directly replaced every part of GBIS. Current options include ECO4, ECO4 Flex, the Warm Homes Local Grant in England and separate programmes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Find the Right Route After GBIS
InstantGrant provides independent information to help households understand ECO4 and other current UK energy schemes. Check your possible route before agreeing to a survey or installation.
Explore Your Grant Options
InstantGrant is not a government body, funding provider or installer. Funding is subject to household checks, a property assessment and provider availability.