Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has announced the three qualified installers appointed to deliver whole-house energy efficiency improvements funded by the Energy Company Obligation Local Authority Flexible Eligibility Scheme (ECO4 LA Flex).
Measures such as insulation, air source heat pumps, and solar PV are available free of charge to low-income or vulnerable owner-occupiers and private tenants who meet the eligibility criteria.
What is ECO?
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO), first introduced in 2013, is an energy efficiency scheme for Great Britain that places legal obligations on energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises. The fourth wave of the scheme (ECO4) runs to 31 March 2026.
Compared to previous waves, ECO4 focuses on improving the least energy-efficient homes, as only properties in EPC (energy performance certificate) band D-G can be treated. It also requires a more complete upgrade of those homes, shifting to a fabric-first multi-measure whole-house retrofit approach which prioritises the installation of insulation before considering other measures, such as air source heat pumps (for heating and hot water) and solar PV.
What is ECO4 Flexible Eligibility?
The main objective of ECO is to reduce fuel poverty by improving the least energy-efficient housing occupied by low-income and vulnerable households. One route that can be used to identify these households is through Local Authority Flexible Eligibility or LA Flex.
Under LA Flex, a participating Local Authority can refer owner-occupiers and private tenants that it considers to be living in fuel poverty or on a low income and vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home. To view our eligibility criteria please see our statement of intent:
GMCA ECO4 Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent v4 (greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk)
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) ECO4 LA Flex Approved Installer List
GMCA has developed a list of three qualified installers who can help assess the needs of eligible households and install energy efficiency measures.
The three installers are Improveasy Ltd, Next Energy Solutions Ltd and PHS Home Solutions Ltd T/A 0800 Repair.
Each installer has been allocated specific areas to work with
Manchester, Stockport, Trafford – Improveasy Ltd – 0800 024 8505
Bolton, Salford, Wigan – Next Energy Solutions Ltd – 0800 021 3145
Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Tameside – PHS Home Solutions Ltd T/A 0800 Repair – 0800 737 247
Working with the installers and NHS colleagues, GMCA will be reaching out to potentially eligible residents across Greater Manchester to see if they would like to take advantage of this scheme.
Simultaneously, Greater Manchester residents on a low income or vulnerable can reach out directly to the installer allocated to their area to see if they are eligible.
If you’re not a low-income household:
If you are not eligible for this scheme but would like help making your home more energy efficient, YOUR HOME BETTER may be able to help.
