How Do I Know If I've Been Approved for ECO4

How Do I Know If I Have Been Approved for ECO4? What Genuine Approval Looks Like

There is no single ECO4 approval letter that Ofgem sends to households. This is the source of most confusion around this question. Thousands of people who have contacted an installer, been told they qualify, and then heard nothing for weeks assume the process has stalled, been cancelled, or was not genuine in the first place. In most cases the process is simply running its normal course.

Important: InstantGrant is an independent grant information and application-support service. We are not Ofgem, the UK government, or any energy supplier. We do not administer ECO4, check your application status, or contact households about approvals. All information on this page is verified against Ofgem ECO4 guidance and the PAS 2035 standard as of August 2026. Contact your installer or supplier directly for your specific application status.

ECO4 approval happens in stages. The word approved means something different at stage one compared to stage five. Understanding what should happen at each point — and what you should receive — helps you distinguish a genuine process from a stalled one, and a legitimate scheme from something that is not.

Why There Is No Single ECO4 Approval Letter

Ofgem administers ECO4 as a regulatory scheme, not a grant programme. The legal relationship is between Ofgem and the obligated energy suppliers — not between Ofgem and individual households. Ofgem monitors, audits, and enforces supplier obligations. It does not send approval letters to the millions of households that receive ECO4-funded improvements.

What households receive instead is a series of communications from their installer or the supplier's managing agent. Some arrive by phone. Some arrive in writing. Some arrive as a visit to the property. The absence of an Ofgem letter at any point in the process is not unusual — it is the normal experience.

How Do I Know If I Have Been Approved for ECO4: The Six Stages

Stage 1: Initial Eligibility Confirmation

You contact an energy supplier, an Ofgem-registered installer, or your local council's ECO4 Flex team. They ask questions about your household benefits, income, and EPC rating, then tell you whether you appear to qualify.

What you should receive: A verbal or written confirmation that you appear eligible, along with a next step — usually an appointment for a home survey. A legitimate installer will confirm their company name, their TrustMark registration number, and the energy supplier they are working with.

What stage 1 approval means: You have passed an initial eligibility screen. Nothing has been submitted to Ofgem at this point. No measures have been confirmed. Stage 1 is the beginning, not the end.

Red flags at stage 1: If a company tells you that you are approved and asks you to sign a contract or pay any deposit before a home survey has taken place, that is a significant warning sign. Legitimate ECO4 installers never ask for payment. Signing a contract before the Retrofit Assessment is also premature.

Stage 2: PAS 2035 Retrofit Assessment

A qualified Retrofit Assessor visits your home and carries out a formal assessment under the PAS 2035 standard. This assessment determines which measures your property needs to achieve the ECO4 two-band EPC improvement target, and whether those measures are technically feasible.

What you should receive: A written Retrofit Assessment report. This document specifies the property's current EPC rating, the target rating, and the measures the assessor recommends. Keep this document. It is the foundation of everything that follows.

What stage 2 approval means: The property has been formally assessed and found suitable for ECO4 measures. The specific package has been identified. You are now much further into a genuine process.

If the assessor says your property is not suitable: This is not a scam or an error. Some properties genuinely cannot achieve a two-band EPC improvement through ECO4 measures, or the measures identified would exceed the cost cap. The assessor should explain the reason clearly.

Stage 3: Project Notification Submitted to Ofgem

Once the Retrofit Assessment is complete and the measures are agreed, the installer submits a Project Notification to Ofgem through the supplier's online reporting system. This is the formal Ofgem submission that records your property in the scheme.

What you should receive: Nothing directly from Ofgem. The Project Notification is submitted by the installer, not by you. However, you can ask your installer or supplier for the project reference number, which is the unique identifier Ofgem uses for your installation. Having this number is proof that a genuine submission has been made. Write it down.

What stage 3 approval means: Your property is formally recorded in the Ofgem ECO4 system. This is the closest the scheme comes to an official approval. Installation can proceed once this is confirmed.

If your installer cannot or will not provide a project reference number: Ask why in writing. A legitimate installer working within a genuine ECO4 scheme has no reason to withhold this. An installer who cannot provide a project reference number after telling you a notification has been submitted may not have made one.

Stage 4: Installation Specification Agreed

Before any physical work begins, you should receive a written specification of the exact measures that will be installed, including the make and model of any heating equipment, the type and depth of insulation, and the extent of any associated works such as pipework or radiator changes.

What you should receive: A written specification document signed by the installer. Some companies include this within their contract documentation. Read it carefully. If any measures differ from what the Retrofit Assessor recommended, ask for the reason before work begins.

What stage 4 approval means: The specific scope of work is confirmed and documented. You know exactly what you are getting before anyone lifts a tool.

Stage 5: Installation Completed

Physical work takes place. For loft insulation on a standard property, this is typically a one-day job. For a heat pump or solid wall insulation package, it can take several days. Upon completion, the installer should provide completion documentation including any warranties for equipment installed.

What you should receive: A written completion certificate, equipment warranty documents, and an updated EPC certificate from the assessor confirming the improvement in your property's rating. If a heat pump has been installed, the installer should also provide MCS certification for the system.

What stage 5 means: The scheme has delivered for your property. The installer will claim the completed project against the supplier's ECO4 obligation.

Stage 6: Post-Installation Ofgem Verification

After installation, Ofgem conducts random verification checks. This may involve a letter or phone call asking you to confirm that the work described in the Project Notification was actually carried out. This contact is genuine and you should respond to it.

What you might receive: A letter or call from Ofgem or an Ofgem-authorised verification agent asking you to confirm details about the work done at your property. This is one of the only times most households receive any direct contact from Ofgem, and it surprises many people who were not told to expect it.

What to do: Respond honestly and promptly. If you have kept the documentation from stages 2 to 5, you will have everything needed to answer any verification questions.

ECO4 Approved But No Installation Date: What to Do

This is one of the most common situations households find themselves in during 2026 as the scheme approaches its December deadline. You have been through stages 1 and 2, perhaps received a project reference number, and then heard nothing for weeks or months.

Why Approved Cases Go Quiet

Supplier quota exhaustion. Every supplier has an annual ECO4 obligation limit. When they reach it, they pause new installations even for cases already in the system. They will typically resume when the new scheme year begins or when Ofgem recalibrates their obligation.

Installer capacity. In 2026 with the scheme closing in December, demand for TrustMark-registered ECO4 installers significantly exceeds supply in some regions. Qualified Retrofit Coordinators and installers are booked months ahead in areas like Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and parts of the West Midlands.

Material supply delays. Solid wall insulation and heat pump components in particular can face supply chain delays. Installers waiting on materials may not communicate this proactively.

How to Chase Your Case

1. Contact your installer directly and ask specifically: has a Project Notification been submitted to Ofgem? If yes, what is the project reference number?

2. If the installer cannot answer these questions, contact the energy supplier the installer is working with.

3. Ask for a written timeline with an estimated installation date.

4. If you receive no meaningful response within 14 days, contact Citizens Advice, who can escalate complaints about stalled ECO4 cases on your behalf.

The December 2026 Deadline Risk

If your case is in the system but installation does not complete before 31 December 2026, the supplier cannot claim it against their ECO4 obligation. This does not automatically mean you are left with nothing, but it means the legal framework backing the installation closes. Ask your installer explicitly whether your installation can complete before December 2026. Get the answer in writing.

What a Legitimate ECO4 Approval Communication Looks Like vs a Scam

This is critical reading for anyone who has received an unexpected contact claiming to be about ECO4.

Legitimate Communication

A genuine ECO4 communication at any stage will:

• Name a specific, verifiable energy supplier or TrustMark-registered installer

• Invite you to verify the company on the TrustMark register or MCS database before proceeding

• Not ask for any payment at any point

• Provide a written record of what has been agreed

• Never pressure you to make a decision within hours

• Allow you to take time to read documentation before signing anything

Scam Communication

A fraudulent ECO4 contact will often:

• Tell you that you have been approved without asking any eligibility questions

• Create urgent time pressure ("This offer expires in 48 hours")

• Ask for a deposit or processing fee before any survey takes place

• Refuse or be unable to provide a TrustMark or MCS registration number

• Use language like "free government money approved for your address" without explaining the eligibility criteria

• Ask for bank account details to "transfer the grant funding to you directly" — ECO4 funding is never paid to the household as cash

If you receive a contact that matches any of the scam indicators above, do not provide personal or banking details. Report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

How Long Does ECO4 Approval Take at Each Stage?

These timelines are under pressure in late 2026. Demand from households trying to access ECO4 before the December deadline has increased installer waiting times in many areas. Starting the process now rather than in October is important for anyone not yet through stage 2.

Your Rights if Something Goes Wrong

If an Installer Goes Silent After Your Assessment

You have the right to change installers, though this may mean repeating some stages. If your Project Notification has already been submitted, ask for the reference number before disengaging from the original installer. Contact another TrustMark-registered installer and explain your situation.

If Work Is Done Poorly

All ECO4 installations must meet TrustMark and MCS standards. If you believe work has been done incorrectly or to a poor standard, contact the installer in writing first with a clear description of the issue. If they do not resolve it within a reasonable period, raise a formal complaint through TrustMark's consumer redress scheme, which all ECO4 installers must participate in.

If You Were Mis-Sold or Pressured

Contact Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 or through citizensadvice.org.uk. They can advise on your rights and escalate complaints to the relevant authorities.

What Happens to Your ECO4 Case If the Scheme Closes Before Installation

The practical situation as the December 2026 deadline approaches is this: if your Project Notification has been submitted to Ofgem but physical installation does not complete by 31 December 2026, the supplier cannot count that installation against their ECO4 obligation.

This does not mean your improvement disappears. But it does mean the regulatory backing for the specific funding commitment changes. Some suppliers will honour in-progress committed cases beyond the deadline from their own resources; others may not.

The safest position is to have installation complete before December 2026. If your installer tells you this will not be possible given current timelines, ask what their position is on completing the work and who bears the cost if the ECO4 claim cannot be made.

ECO4 Approval by UK Nation

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ofgem send an approval letter for ECO4? No. Ofgem does not send approval letters to individual households. ECO4 approval is a staged process managed between the household, the installer, and the energy supplier. Households may receive Ofgem verification contact after installation, but not an approval letter before it.

How do I know if my ECO4 application is genuine? Ask the installer for their TrustMark registration number and check it at trustmark.org.uk. Ask for the project reference number once a Project Notification has been submitted to Ofgem. A legitimate company will provide both without hesitation.

I was told I am approved but nothing has happened. What should I do? Ask the installer for the Ofgem project reference number in writing. If they cannot provide it, contact the energy supplier the installer is working with. If you receive no meaningful response within 14 days, contact Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133.

What is a Project Notification? A Project Notification is the formal submission an installer makes to Ofgem's system to register your property as an ECO4 installation. It is the closest the scheme comes to an official approval record. Households can ask their installer for the project reference number associated with their case.

What is a Retrofit Assessment and is it the same as approval? A Retrofit Assessment is a formal survey of your property carried out by a qualified Retrofit Assessor under the PAS 2035 standard. It determines which measures your property qualifies for. Completing the assessment moves you significantly further through the process but is not the final approval. The Project Notification submission to Ofgem that follows the assessment is the key formal step.

What if my installation cannot complete before December 2026? Ask your installer in writing what the timeline is and whether December 2026 is achievable. If it is not, ask what happens to the funding commitment and who bears the cost. Raise this with Citizens Advice if you cannot get a clear answer.

Can I be charged anything for ECO4? No. ECO4 measures are fully funded through the supplier's regulatory obligation. No household should pay any deposit, processing fee, or installation charge. Any request for payment is a serious warning sign.

The Ofgem contact after installation — is it genuine? Yes. Ofgem carries out post-installation verification checks, which may involve a letter or call asking you to confirm the work was done. This is a legitimate part of the scheme's audit process. Respond promptly with the documentation you received during installation.

How InstantGrant Can Help

If your case appears stalled, you are unsure whether what you have received constitutes genuine ECO4 progress, or you want to understand your options before the December 2026 deadline, InstantGrant can help you work through the situation.

InstantGrant is an independent grant information and application-support service. We are not Ofgem, any energy supplier, or any installer. We do not administer ECO4 and we do not guarantee any outcome. We help UK households understand where they are in the process and what practical next steps apply to their situation.

Check your eligibility or get guidance at instantgrant.co.uk