FAQs: installers and industry

What is ECO?

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is an energy efficiency scheme for Great Britain. ECO places legal obligations on larger energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises. It focuses on insulation and heating measures and supports vulnerable consumer groups. ECO is intended to assist in reducing carbon emissions, maintaining security of energy supply and reducing fuel poverty.

The overall obligation period for ECO3 runs from 3 December 2018 to 31 March 2022 and is split into four phases.

What obligation is there under ECO3?

Under ECO3, the only obligation for suppliers to achieve is the Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation (HHCRO). This obligation includes the replacement of broken heating systems, the upgrade of inefficient heating systems, and the installation of insulation, to reduce home heating costs for low income, fuel poor and vulnerable people. This group is also known as ‘Affordable Warmth’.

HHCRO measures can be delivered to:

a) private domestic premises occupied by someone in receipt of specific benefits (the help to heat group); or

b) private domestic premises listed in a local authority declaration (and those which meet the associated ‘in-fill’ criteria); or

c) social housing with an EPC energy efficiency rating of E, F or G; or

d) social housing with an EPC energy efficiency rating of D, E, F or G for innovation measures and demonstration actions only; or

e) private domestic premises as Affordable Warmth (AW) “in-fill” measures, as long as the premises at which these measures are installed are linked to two other separate premises in a particular area that were eligible under (a) or (c), and all 3 premises have had SWI or DHS measures delivered.

The HHCRO obligation also includes two sub-obligations:

• The Rural sub-obligation, and
• The Solid Wall Minimum Requirement (SWMR)

The Carbon Emissions Reduction Obligation (CERO) which ran under ECO2, has now closed.

What measures can be installed under ECO?

The ECO3 Measures Table provides a non-exhaustive list of the energy efficiency measures, which suppliers can install to meet their obligations.

How can I get involved?

ECO is an energy efficiency scheme for Great Britain, which places obligations on medium and larger energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises. It focuses on insulation and heating measures and supports vulnerable consumer groups. If installers are interested in delivering ECO measures, they should get in touch with an obligated supplier. In order to be eligible to deliver measures under ECO3, all installers must be a part of a TrustMark registered business or equivalent by 1 January 2020. This does not apply to demonstration actions and certain district heating system measures, where installers of these measures, which are registered with Heat Trust or equivalent standard, would not be required to be TrustMark registered.

Installers could also use the ECO Brokerage, which is an auction-based mechanism that enables suppliers to buy forward contracts to deliver ECO measures from participating authorised sellers. Ofgem has no role in administering ECO Brokerage. For more information, visit the website of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

How can I apply to have a new product or measure introduced to ECO?

Under ECO3, energy suppliers will be able to deliver up to 10% of their obligation through the installation of innovative measures to eligible households. There are two innovation routes under the scheme:

Demonstration actions – measures that have previously been tested in a laboratory setting and now require testing at scale in a live environment, or are marketable products that are being sold in the market and may need additional support. 

Innovation measures – a measure that is different from those previously delivered under supplier obligations by having an improved material that can demonstrate, for example, improved energy efficiency performance or an improved installation technique.

For more information, see the ECO3 Guidance: Innovation.

Can ECO measures be co-funded with the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and the Green Homes Grant (GHG) scheme?

ECO and RHI funding cannot be combined for any measures except ground source heat pumps. This will mean that all other qualifying renewable heating measures can only receive support under one of the schemes.

See Chapter 4 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery document for more information on the interaction between ECO and RHI, and the rules on Assignment of Rights under RHI.

Green Homes Grant

The Green Homes Grant (GHG) Voucher Scheme was a government grant in England to assist homeowners with energy-efficient and low-carbon heating home improvements. The scheme closed on 31 March 2021. Further information can be found on the Government website.

The GHG Local Authority Delivery (LAD) scheme allocates funding to local authorities to improve the energy efficiency of low-income and low energy performance homes. This is not administered by Ofgem, but measures under this scheme may interact with our existing schemes. LAD cannot blended with other government schemes, including ECO. However, you can receive both ECO and GHG LAD funding providing they are each for different measures, for example loft insulation and cavity wall insulation. Further information can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website.

My question is not answered in the FAQs, where else can I look?

The ECO3 Guidance: Delivery is a comprehensive document for anyone looking for in-depth information regarding ECO.

If you still have questions please contact us at eco@ofgem.gov.uk.

When can a boiler be replaced, repaired or upgraded under HHCRO?

There are three eligible boiler measures in HHCRO. The way in which a boiler measure is categorised depends on the heating source present in the premises before the measure is installed. The three eligible boiler measures are:

1. Broken boiler replacement
2. Upgrade of an inefficient boiler installed alongside a primary insulation measure
3. Boiler repair

Additionally, all boilers can be replaced with a district heating system or a renewable heating system. The scoring methodology that should be used to calculate the score for the replacement or repair of a boiler depends on the type of heating.

However, the ECO3 scheme includes a cap on the replacement of all broken heating systems. No more than 21.023% of a supplier’s total obligation can be achieved by the replacement of broken heating systems. The following measures can be installed outside of the broken heating system cap:

• First Time Central Heating (FTCH)
• A renewable heating system
• A district heating system
• A secondary heating measure when installed alongside a primary insulation measure
• A demonstration action or innovation score uplift measure
• The installation of heating controls

For more information about eligible boiler measures please refer to Chapter 4 and Appendix 3 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

What is the Help to Heat Group?

A person living at private domestic premises is an eligible member of the Help to Heat Group if, from 1 April 2019 (scheme year 9) onwards, the person is a core group customer under the Warm Home Discount scheme, or receives at least one of the following benefits and satisfies the relevant income requirements, where applicable:

• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer's Allowance
• Child Benefit (on the condition that the household’s relevant income does not exceed the threshold corresponding to the type of claim and the number of qualifying children)
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Pension Guarantee Credit
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Income Support
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Personal Independence Payment
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Tax Credits (Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits)
• Universal Credit (UC)
• War Pensions Mobility Supplement.

For further information on the Help to Heat Group, see Chapter 3 and Appendix 2 of our ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

How can the data matching service be used to identify Help to Heat Group customers?

A data matching service has been set up by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to assist installers and suppliers by confirming Help to Heat Group eligibility without the need to obtain benefit letters from the consumer.

Through this service, you can provide basic customer details to the EST who will in turn send this to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to confirm that the customer receives an eligible benefit. If the DWP confirms this (via EST), this can be used to demonstrate that a person is a member of the Help to Heat Group. If a supplier wishes to rely on a DWP confirmation, it must include the reference number provided by EST when notifying the measure, this is the ‘DWP reference number’ in the notification template. No further documentation will be required to demonstrate the Help to Heat Group membership of that person.

The following help to heat group benefits cannot be data matched by DWP:

• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• War Pensions Mobility Supplement, and
• Child Benefit

This service is not free and installers may arrange a contract with the data matching service provider (EST) if they wish to sign up. For further information on how to sign up please contact Energy Saving Trust at Datamatch@est.org.uk.

What evidence is needed to confirm a measure has been installed in private domestic premises?

Where measures are delivered to members of the Help to Heat Group, or where customers are referred to obligated suppliers by local authorities, they must be delivered to private domestic premises. Private domestic premises are, in general, not owned or let by a social landlord.

Where the premises is registered with the land registry (including the Land Register of Scotland or the Register of Sasines), the land registry extract must be provided to evidence that the premises are private domestic premises. Generally, where the premises is registered as belonging to an individual person we will be satisfied the premises meets this requirement. Where the premises is not registered, further documents which can be used to evidence private domestic premises can be found in Appendix 2 of ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

If the premises are let by a social landlord, under what circumstances can someone still be eligible under ECO3?

HHCRO measures can also be delivered to social housing with an EPC energy efficiency rating of E, F or G, where the premises are let below market rate.

Delivery to social housing premises is limited to the following measures:

• Insulation measures
• Demonstration actions
• Innovation measures (Social housing with an EPC rating of D can also qualify for innovation measures), or
• First time central heating systems (including renewable central heating) and first time district heating connections

For more information on measures installed to social housing, see Chapter 3 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

Can Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation (HHCRO) measures be installed when the premises is in shared ownership with a social housing provider?

Yes. When premises are subject to a shared ownership arrangement between a private individual and a social landlord, we consider the premises to be private as the individual ‘owns’ the premises (however small the proportion).

How are ECO savings calculated?

In ECO3, there are four ways to score measures:

• deemed scores
• SAP/RdSAP (DHS only)
• demonstration actions, innovation measures, and monitored measures
• alternative methodology.

In general, non-DHS measures should be scored using a deemed score. Deemed scores have been developed to be easy to use and to minimise administrative burden. Scores are based on the cost saving likely to be achieved by a qualifying action when installed in domestic premises, over the lifetime of the measure. In certain circumstances, the legislation provides for ‘uplifts’ – multiplication factors - to be applied to the cost savings when determining a score. These are provided to encourage delivery of specific measures or treatment of certain property categories.

For more information on deemed scores see Chapter 6 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

In general, where a given measure type is not covered by the existing methodologies, an obligated supplier can contact us and apply for a new deemed score or a new methodology using the process set out in Chapter 5 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

What are in-use factors and lifetimes?

A lifetime is the number of years a measure is expected to deliver savings for. In-use factors were used for calculating carbon savings for a measure notified under CERO in ECO2 but are no longer used in ECO3.

All lifetimes are taken into account in the scores published in the Deemed Scores Matrix so do not need to be calculated or notified separately.

The lifetimes are available in our ECO3 Measures Table. For more information, see Chapter 5 of our ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

Suppliers can apply to use a ‘non-standard lifetime’ (a lifetime that is different from that shown in the measures table) in two cases:

• where a supplier wishes to install a measure that is not listed in the measures table, or
• where a supplier wishes to install a measure type listed in the measures table, but has sufficient evidence that a specific technology has an improved lifetime.

Only obligated energy suppliers may apply to use a non-standard lifetime. Further information can be found in Chapter 5 of our ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

What happens if a saving is deemed to be inaccurate?

Measures notified to us must have an accurate score. Suppliers are expected to undertake their own verification checks prior to notifying measures to us. Scores claimed under ECO are checked by score monitoring agents. If a measure fails or if wider concerns are raised, we will contact the relevant obligated supplier to investigate and correct the score claimed where necessary. We will be unable to award savings to the measure until the savings are corrected. More information about score monitoring is available in Chapter 8 of our ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

What do I need to consider if installing direct-acting heaters as part of an ESH measure?

To claim 100% of an ESH deemed score, the ESH measure must provide adequate heating for the entire property. If the ESH measure does not adequately heat the entire property, then the percentage of property treated (POPT) should be reduced to reflect this.

Industry guidelines state that the entire property is adequately heated by an electric storage heater measure where 90% or more of the total space heating demand of the property is provided by off-peak electricity. Therefore, where off-peak electricity, from the electric storage heaters installed, accounts for at least 90% of the total space heating demand of the property, the full electric storage heater score can be claimed (ie 100% POPT).

Therefore, in line with industry guidelines, it may be suitable to install direct-acting electric heaters in some rooms as part of an ESH measure. Providing that the electric storage heaters are providing 90% or more of the total space heating demand, direct-acting electric heaters may provide up to 10% of the total space heating demand of the property.

Direct-acting electric heaters may not contribute to the measure where less than 90% of the total space heating demand is provided by electric storage heaters. Where less than 90% of the total space heating demand in a property is provided by off-peak electricity then the POPT should be reduced to reflect that the ESH measure is not adequately heating the entire property. To claim an ESH measure there must be the ability for the off-peak electricity to be metered at the premises.

How can I tell which deemed scores variant to use for a given electric storage heater installation?

There are two categories of electric storage heaters (ESH) which may be installed under ECO3: fan storage and high heat retention. There are specific deemed scores for each.

‘Fan storage’ electric storage heaters, also known as fan-assisted storage heaters, contain a fan-assisted heat emitter. This enables greater control over the release of the heat stored. This category also includes ‘integrated storage+directing-acting’ heaters; SAP codes: 404, 407, and 408.

'High heat retention' electric storage heaters deliver the highest savings. To claim this score, suppliers should ensure that the heater meets the current SAP definition; SAP code: 409.

Where there is uncertainty as to which category a certain ESH falls into then the manufacturer should be contacted to ensure that the correct score is claimed.

How do I select a deemed score if I install a measure to a premises where the pre-installation heating source is not included in the Deemed Scores Matrix?

The Deemed Scores Matrix provides scores for properties heated by common heating sources. Where the pre-main heating source is not reflected in the Deemed Scores Matrix, Table 15 from Chapter 6 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery should be used to determine which heating source to use as a proxy for the actual heating source. This proxy is then used to select the correct score for the measure using the Deemed Scores Matrix.

If there are any heating sources which are not reflected in the proxy table, please contact us at eco@ofgem.gov.uk.

How do I score measures installed to multi-occupancy housing?

Multi-occupancy buildings are not included in the Deemed Scores Matrix as they cannot be scored using SAP / RdSAP. To score eligible measures installed within a multi-occupancy building, a supplier needs to apply to use an alternative methodology. Please see our alternative methodologies page for more information.

How do I score heating controls if they are installed alongside a boiler?

All boiler measures (excluding FTCH) have two versions. One is to be claimed where, prior to installation, a full set of heating controls which meet the minimum requirement are already present and functioning (‘preHCs’). The other is to be claimed where a full set of controls are not present or functioning (‘noPreHCs’). In the latter case, heating controls must be completed to at least the minimum requirements. The appropriate scores from Table 21 in the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery can be claimed alongside the relevant boiler score.

Where no boiler measure is being carried out but heating controls are completed or improved, the appropriate scores from Table 21 in the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery may be claimed.

If I insulate the residual loft area around a room-in-roof, what score can I claim?

There are two measure variants for room-in-roof insulation based on the insulation in the residual loft space:

• ‘residual area insulated’ – this is where the residual area is uninsulated and as part of the room-in-roof measure the installer insulates the residual areas, and
• ‘residual area uninsulated’ – this is where the residual area is not treated as part of the room-in-roof measure (ie because it is already insulted or cannot be insulated).

The residual area is defined as the loft area in the same continuous air space as the room-in-roof (RIR). When the RIR is insulated, the relevant score (residual area insulated or uninsulated) should be claimed depending on whether the installer insulates the residual loft area.

If there is no residual loft area in a room-in-roof, the RIR insulation with residual area insulated score should be claimed.

If only the residual loft area is insulated then a loft insulation measure should be claimed with the POPT adjusted to reflect the roof area insulated in the same manner as a standard loft insulation measure. This approach should only be undertaken where the RIR cannot be insulated or has already been insulated, and should not be claimed in addition to a RIRI measure.

How do I score the gable end in a room-in-roof (RIR)?

The gable end of a RIR always forms part of a RIR measure and should be included in the percentage of property treated (POPT) for a RIR insulation measure.

Where a wall that includes a RIR gable end is fully insulated as part of a wall insulation measure, a partial RIR insulation measure may also be claimed alongside the wall measure. To reflect that the gable end of the RIR was already insulated as part of the wall measure, the POPT for the RIR insulation measure should be reduced to account for all other elements of the RIR measure, excluding the gable end wall. Evidence of reasonable grounds for not insulating 100% of the RIRI measure must be retained.

How do I score measures installed into a park home?

For mobile home insulation (also known as park home insulation (PHI), or park home external wall insulation), there are three insulation measures: PHI walls, roof and floor. 100% of each measure will be the insulation of the exterior facing walls, ceiling, and floor area of the mobile home respectively.

There are two property types available for park home insulation measures. The ‘single’ park home score is used for park homes that are approximately 12 metres long by 3 metres wide (36m2). The ‘double’ park home score is used for park homes that are approximately 12 metres long by 6 metres wide (72m2). Where the total floor area is different to these standard dimensions, the score for the closest floor area should be selected.

Where other insulation measures are installed, for instance a draught-proofing measure, the detached bungalow archetype is used as a proxy. Where a heating measure is installed, the detached bungalow archetype with solid wall is used as a proxy. The number of bedrooms selected is the number of bedrooms in the park home.

How do I score solar photovoltaic (PV) measures?

Many variables can have an effect on the efficiency of the solar PV measure, such as the kilowatts peak (kWp) of the system installed. For this reason, Percentage of Property Treated (POPT) for solar PV measures should be calculated using the following methodology, rather than the average treatable area approach used for other measures.

Solar PV is an eligible measure in properties where the primary heating source is electric. The current deemed scores developed for solar PV are based on the following assumptions:

• the installed capacity is 2.5kWp;
• the solar panels are installed in a south facing orientation with an inclination of 30°, and
• there is modest over-shading.

These factors will vary by installation and they can have a material impact on the saving achieved by the measure. In this methodology, the first two factors are used to adjust the POPT for solar PV measures, such that the score for a given installation better reflects the saving.

For more information on Solar PV see Chapter 6 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

Are district heating schemes (DHS) eligible for ECO support?

Yes, DHS are eligible where they meet the relevant requirements associated with the measure.  Installers of DHS measures must be registered with Heat Trust, or an equivalent standard. DHS measures would not be required to be TrustMark registered. The following are deemed DHS measures:

• a new connection to domestic premises, including a connection to an existing DHS or to a new DHS
• an upgrade of an existing DHS where substantial replacement work is carried out to the plant and/or pipework, or
• the installation of a heat meter to an existing connection. Suppliers cannot notify the installation of a heat meter as a separate measure where it is installed as part of new connection or upgrade (ie a. or b. above).

For more information on the relevant requirements for DHS connections, see Chapter 4 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

We recommend that suppliers contact us before undertaking DHS projects.

Can cavity wall insulation be removed and replaced under ECO?

Extraction of insulation from a cavity wall is not an ECO measure. However, if there are exceptional legitimate reasons where pre-existing CWI must be removed, for example it is causing a health and safety risk to the occupants of the premises and / or the structural integrity of the building in which it is located, and replaced with new CWI, it may be possible to claim a deemed score for the new replacement insulation, subject to meeting all other ECO requirements.

In these circumstances, a suitably qualified independent professional must provide appropriate reasoning for removal and replacement including:

1. detailed reasons for why the insulation has to be removed
2. the problems it is causing for the premises; and
3. a recommendation for the best insulation for the premises (if any).

It is important that the exceptional circumstances relating to the ‘before’ case for the ECO measure are well documented and all evidence retained in case of audit or in case the measure should be identified as a duplicate with a CERT, CESP, ECO1 or ECO2 (including ECO2t) measure. Extraction of cavity wall insulation must follow all relevant standards and requirements. We expect in a situation where an appropriate insulation guarantee is still valid, that any remedial works should be covered by the guarantee. The measure will not be eligible under ECO where there is a guarantee in place covering the replacement of the existing work.

We expect confirmation that there is no guarantee in place to cover the extraction from all guarantee providers available at the time the existing CWI was installed. If the existing CWI was a mineral wool or bead product, and was installed before 2012, CIGA was the only guarantee provider available.

What constitutes 100% of a room in roof insulation (RIRI) measure?

As with all ECO measures, we require that 100% of a room-in-roof insulation measure is installed, unless there are reasonable grounds for not doing so. Please see Chapter 6 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery for more information on what constitutes 100% of a room in roof insulation (RIRI) measure. 

What is considered virgin loft insulation?

We no longer have a ‘virgin’ loft measure. Under ECO3 there are two loft insulation measure variants, one for lofts which have less than or equal to 100mm of pre-existing loft insulation (including lofts where there is no existing insulation) and a second variant for loft with more than 100mm of pre-existing loft insulation.

What if I install loft insulation on top of pre-existing insulation, or remove and replace the loft insulation?

Under ECO, there are two categories of top-up loft insulation:

• where insulation is installed over pre-existing insulation: the relevant deemed score, either <=100mm of existing loft insulation, or >100mm of existing loft insulation, should be claimed
• where insulation is removed after the loft assessment but before the installation of new insulation, or where insulation is removed within the 6 months prior to the loft assessment: the ’>100mm of existing loft insulation’ deemed score should be claimed. If any pre-existing insulation is removed, regardless of whether this is for health and safety reasons, only the >100mm loft insulation score can be claimed.

Can I insulate party walls in ECO? What are the criteria for insulating these types of wall?

A party wall measure can be claimed for each property adjacent to any cavity walls that are treated, as long as all other eligibility criteria are met for all premises. The installer must obtain the necessary consent from all properties adjacent to the wall before the measure is carried out.

As with all measures, 100% of the measure should be installed unless there are reasonable grounds for not doing so. When claiming for multiple adjacent party wall measures, suppliers should ensure that all the party walls in each property are treated, unless there are reasonable grounds for not doing so.

If all the party walls in a property are treated this counts as both 100% for percentage of measure installed as well as 100% of property treated. As with other measures, if POPT is 67% or more then the published deemed score can be notified without modification.

For information on calculating the percentage of property treated for ECO PCWI measures, see Chapter 6 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

Can I install electric storage heaters (ESHs) under ECO3?

Yes, ESHs can be installed under ECO3.

There are three eligible ESH measures in HHCRO. The way in which an ESH measure is categorised depends on the heating source present in the premises before the measure is installed.

The three eligible ESH measures are:

1. broken ESH replacement
2. broken ESH repair
3. upgrade of an inefficient ESH with an efficiency of <0.2, when installed alongside a primary insulation measure.

Additionally, all ESHs can be replaced with a district heating system or a renewable heating system.

For further information on Electric Storage Heaters, see Appendix 4 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

What kind of electric storage heater (ESH) can I install under ECO3?

Ofgem does not approve specific products for installations under ECO3. Measures installed under HHCRO must provide a heating cost saving to the customer. Different types of ESH replacements will provide different cost savings and these are reflected in the Deemed Scores Matrix.

Who can install an electric storage heater (ESH)?

The ESH assessment and the repair, replacement or upgrade of a qualifying ESH must be carried out by a person (the ‘operative’) with appropriate skill and experience. This can be demonstrated by the operative meeting the competency requirements for domestic electrical installation work listed in the ‘measure specific requirements for electric storage heaters’ in Annex D1 of PAS.

How do I know how many electric storage heaters (ESHs) are required to adequately heat the home?

You should undertake appropriate calculations in order to determine the size and number of ESH required to adequately heat the home. We expect that a person of appropriate skill and experience should be familiar with ESH sizing and design tools in order to make these calculations. Please see Chapter 6 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery for more information.

What are the warranty requirements for the installation of an electric storage heater (ESH)?

All ESHs repaired, replaced or upgraded in ECO3 must be accompanied by a warranty of at least two years. The requirements that the warranty must meet is dependent on the ESH measure being delivered. The warranty that accompanies a replacement ESH must reflect the proper functioning of the entire ESH that has been installed.

This requirement can be met by a manufacturer’s warranty and this can cover all ESHs installed in property as long as the details of the individual heaters, such as the serial numbers or any other unique identifier, are included in the warranty.

Installation of an ESH must adhere to the requirements in the manufacturer’s instruction manual. If these are not met, the manufacturer’s warranty may become invalid. In such cases, the ESH would be ineligible as there is no valid warranty in place.

One way that a supplier can assure themselves that an ESH has been installed to the manufacturer’s requirements and therefore the warranty is valid, is by using an installer registered with a Competent Person Scheme.

If more than one ESH is installed in premises suppliers may choose to provide one warranty covering all replacement ESHs, as long as the details of the individual heaters (such as the heater serial number or any other unique detail to identify each heater) are included in the warranty.

A copy of the ESH warranty provided to the occupier must be made available to us on request. Where a warranty has been issued for the replacement ESH, any repair of the ESH under that warranty will not be eligible for ECO savings.

What is 100% of an electric storage heater (ESH) measure?

An electric storage heater (ESH) measure can only have 100% POPT if all electric storage heaters in the property are repaired, replaced or removed as relevant, and the entire property is adequately heated. ESHs may not always need to be replaced on a one-for-one basis, or on a one per room basis. The number, size and placement of the electric storage heaters should be selected based on the heating requirements of the specific property. This may mean installing more or fewer electric storage heaters than were previously present, to adequately heat the entire property. A suitably qualified operative should use the appropriate industry and manufacturer guidelines to determine if the installation will adequately heat the entire property.

For further information, see Chapter 6 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

Can oil boilers be installed under ECO3?

Oil fuelled heating systems are only eligible to be repaired or replaced if they are broken. All other oil fuelled heating measures are ineligible under the scheme. See Chapter 4 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery for more information.

How can an installer demonstrate that their oil boiler installation complies with the relevant standards?

In ECO, oil boiler installations must be carried out in accordance with the relevant version of PAS 2030, building regulations that are applicable where the installation is being carried out and the manufacturer’s installation instructions and any other relevant standards. You should consult your competent person scheme or equivalent to ensure you are aware of all standards and regulations.

For compliance with building regulations in England & Wales:

The installer should be a member of a Competent Person Scheme approved by Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Welsh Government (Wales only).

For compliance with building regulations in Scotland: 

The installer may need to apply for a building warrant from the local authority to show that any work they are planning complies with Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (as amended). Please consult your local authority for further advice. 

Please note that these are the building regulations requirements at the time of writing and are subject to change. 

Does an operative in their probationary period of a Building Regulations Competent Person Scheme membership meet the competency requirements of PAS?

When an operative is in the probationary period of a Building Regulations Competent Person Scheme, they may not be a full member of the scheme. It is therefore important to check this with a competent person scheme to ensure an operative meets the competency requirements outlined in the relevant version of PAS. 

Is the Boiler Assessment Checklist different for oil boilers?

The boiler assessment checklist should be completed as normal for oil boilers and normal boiler warranty requirements will apply.

What happens if I cannot identify the make and model of an oil boiler on the Boiler Assessment Checklist?

We expect this situation to be uncommon but in cases where the make and model of a boiler cannot be identified, we would accept an input of, ‘unknown – make and model cannot be identified’ for Section B: Existing Boiler Details on the Boiler Assessment Checklist. All efforts must have been made to identify the make and model of the boiler and robust evidence as to why you have been unable to identify the boiler must be retained. 

Do I need to replace the existing oil tank during an installation?

You should seek advice from your competent person scheme or local authority to ensure the entire oil boiler installation is safe and complies with relevant building regulations. This includes the condition of the oil tank. You should inspect the existing oil tank ahead of any boiler replacement works. 

You may not need to upgrade or replace an existing oil tank as part of a new boiler installation unless:

• following the new boiler installation, the oil tank is less compliant when measured against existing building regulations than it previously was, or
• the tank is not oil tight, not fully supported and is deemed to be an immediate environmental risk.

In the situations outlined above, we would expect the existing oil tank to be upgraded or replaced as required.

What steps should I take to ensure the existing oil tank is safe and compliant with building regulations?

For installers undertaking boiler replacement work only, we recommend installers: 

• Promote the benefits of compliant oil storage, in writing, with your estimate.
• On commissioning a new boiler, record on your competent person scheme (England & Wales) commissioning report or equivalent, that the oil store remains non-compliant and that they should consider making it compliant with BS 5410 / regional building regulations at the earliest opportunity. 
• Issue the customer with a completed Domestic Oil Storage Tank Spillage and Fire Risk Assessment (England and Wales), if the tank is domestic and sited above ground externally.
• In Scotland, if not a member of a competent person scheme, we would expect appropriate checks have been taken to determine that existing oil tank is safe for use.

You should seek further advice from your competent person scheme, local authority or equivalent if you are unsure of these requirements.

What installation standards do ECO measures need to meet?

All measures must be installed in accordance with the Building Regulations 2010 and by a PAS certified installer where they are included in Publicly Available Specification 2030 (PAS) and they must also be installed by a ‘person of appropriate skill and experience’. A full timeline of the PAS transition period is detailed below:

• From 1 January 2020 until 30 June 2021 – Installers must be certified in accordance with either PAS 2030: 2017 or PAS 2030: 2019. We will accept certification to PAS 2030:2019 Edition 1 until 30 June 2021.

   

• From 1 July 2021 – All installers must deliver energy efficiency measures within the scope of PAS 2030: 2019 and PAS 2035: 2019. Any measures installed in accordance with PAS 2030: 2017 will not be valid if completed after 30 June 2021.

What consumer protection standards do I need to meet to install measures under ECO?

From 1 January 2020 all installers must be TrustMark registered businesses, or equivalent, in order to be eligible to deliver measures under ECO3. This will not apply to demonstration actions and certain district heating system (DHS) measures. Installers of demonstration actions or of DHS measures, which are registered with Heat Trust, or an equivalent standard, would not be required to be TrustMark registered. Please see paragraph 4.139 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery for more information on DHS measures that do not require Heat Trust registration.

How do I gain a 20% uplift during the PAS transition period?

During the transition period, installers will be eligible to receive a 20% uplift if they are certified as compliant with both PAS 2030:2019 and PAS 2035:2019. In order for the installer to receive the uplift, they must be installing in accordance with PAS 2030: 2019 and must be registered with TrustMark. The 20% uplift will be applied if the installer meets these requirements between 1 January 2020 and 30 June 2021.

On and after 1 July 2021, all installers will be required to deliver ECO3 measures in accordance with the new standards and the 20% uplift to all measures will be removed. See chapter 2 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery  for more information.

Can my company / product be approved for installation under ECO?

Ofgem does not approve products for installation under ECO. We have published a list of measures eligible under ECO. Suppliers can install these measures with any product or material compliant with building regulations and / or other regulations. On request, suppliers must produce evidence that the product or material they installed meets the requirements of building regulations and / or other regulations, which relate to the installation of the measure.

Under ECO3, there is a voluntary option for suppliers to meet up to 10% of their obligation with innovation measures. ECO3 has two new optional routes for supporting innovation; demonstration actions and innovation measures. In addition to innovation, suppliers will also be able to use a new monitored measures route to deliver up to a further 10% of their obligation. For further information, see our ECO3 Guidance: Innovation.

For a non-exhaustive list of measures eligible under ECO, please refer to our ECO3 Measures Table.

What product certification or standards are required for installed measures that are not referred to in PAS or MCS?

We require suppliers to demonstrate that a product or system used in the installation of a measure complies with building regulations and that the measure has been completed by a person of appropriate skills and experience. Suppliers can demonstrate this in various ways, including:

1. United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited product approval,
2. European Technical Approval with additional documentation to show compliance with building regulations,
3. approval by a building control body, or
4. for some measures, self-certification schemes.

Any certification or approval must be relevant to the conditions under which the product or system will be used, including the property that is to be treated, although the building control body is ultimately responsible for accepting that a measure complies with building regulations.

Please see Chapter 2 of our ECO3 Guidance: Delivery for more information on the standards relating to the installation of ECO measures.

Which insulation guarantees are recognised under ECO?

An insulation measure (room in roof insulation, underfloor insulation, solid wall insulation, insulation of a mobile home or insulation of a cavity wall, including party cavity wall insulation) receives the relevant standard lifetime if the installation is accompanied by an appropriate guarantee of at least 25 years. Full details of the criteria appropriate guarantees must meet are available in Chapter 5 of our ECO3 Guidance: Delivery.

The current list of ECO3 appropriate guarantees can be found on the TrustMark website. Ofgem no longer administers appropriate guarantees or financial protection, any queries regarding these should be directed to TrustMark (info@trustmark.org.uk).

When installing external wall insulation (EWI), how should I address installed services connected to the exterior wall?

Installed services include gas, electricity, water, telecommunications etc. Any potential risks to the functionality and safety of installed services must be identified at the pre-installation survey stage. (See section 6.2 of PAS 2030:2017).

These must be appropriately addressed in the method statement before installation begins. It may be necessary to liaise with service providers in advance to ensure installation is satisfactory and any required work has been carried out by the service provider before the EWI is installed.

If I identify telecommunication wiring on a property during an EWI pre-installation survey, am I required to notify BT Openreach and seek its guidance?

Yes, wherever there is evidence of telecommunications wiring on the exterior of a building that is likely to be affected by the installation, BT Openreach must be consulted as they are the only licensed operator allowed to interact with the network and may deem failure to comply as potential trespass on their equipment.

BT Openreach has provided a step by step guide for contractors where ECO installers can contact them.

Where there is a block of flats or terraced houses, do all the premises need to have separate documents evidencing completion of each measure?

In cases where the same measure is installed in multiple premises (such as a block of flats, or a row of houses, or where flats and / or houses are on the same estate) owned by the same landlord, all measures may be handed over on the same date. This applies to the Declaration of Conformity and Completed Installation (DOCC).

What evidence is required by suppliers as proof of installation?

Supplier data requirements may exceed the minimum requirements for reporting measures to us. To help ensure that measures are accepted by energy companies, the Matrix of ECO Document Requirements has been produced by the ECO Reporting Working Group. It lists which documents energy companies require for each measure installed under the relevant obligation, and when they require them.

We are continuing to work with industry to understand if there are other areas where we can provide further clarity on. This includes our processes to support the supply chain on this issue.

What is Ofgem’s approach on EPC’s that are found to be inaccurate?

EPCs that have been conducted before a measure is installed can later be found to be inaccurate. We would like to clarify Ofgem’s position on how an inaccurate pre-installation EPC may affect the eligibility of the measure. Where the ECO3 Order requires a particular pre- or post- EPC rating, our position on inaccurate EPCs is set out below:

• Where we are aware that an EPC attached to a measure is incorrect and there is a possibility that the property may not have been eligible, we will investigate.
• Where we suspect that an EPC attached to a measure may have intentionally been misrepresented to falsely demonstrate eligibility, these will be investigated by the Ofgem Counter Fraud Team.
• Where satisfactory evidence can be supplied that the property would still have been eligible if the EPC had been carried out correctly, we will review this on a case-by-case basis. Where satisfactory evidence cannot be supplied, the measure would likely be rejected. We would class the following as satisfactory evidence, but would consider suggestions of alternative evidence:

1. the newly lodged and corrected EPC based on an assessment date prior to install, and;
2. a draft EPC showing eligibility, with supporting evidence (eg report of data inputs showing consistency between lodged EPC and draft, apart from the corrected error).

We believe that the above approach is proportionate, allowing us to ensure compliance while reducing uncertainty for the supply chain. It is up to individual members of the supply chain to ensure the accuracy and veracity of the information they provide to us and determine how they manage any remaining risk. As a result, it may be necessary to carry out some simple QA checks of the key information on EPCs used to support measures prior to installation.

This approach does not affect any of the requirements or deadlines within the ECO3 legislation. Where a pre-installation EPC with a particular rating is required to demonstrate eligibility, this must still be lodged prior to installation of the measure.

If the EPC is later (ie after measure install) found to be inaccurate, we would take into account evidence which confirms the measure would still have been eligible if the EPC was carried out correctly. For example, an EPC showing electric room heaters may have been used to evidence the eligibility of a PRS A-E property and install a measure. If it is later found the property was instead heated by electric storage heaters, we would consider evidence that confirms the EPC rating at measure install, would still have meant the measure was eligible if the EPC was correct. This is intended to reduce the risk of measures being lost due to inaccuracies in existing EPCs that would not make the measure ineligible. This does not affect the legislative requirement for an EPC to be lodged prior to the installation of the measure.

What are the acceptable justifications for not meeting the First time central heating (FTCH) pre conditions?

All first time central heating measures must not be installed in an uninsulated premises. Properties must be insulated with roof (including room-in-roof) and solid / cavity wall insulation before installing a FTCH measure. Either pre-existing or new insulation, or a combination of both may be used to meet the pre-conditions. Further information on the FTCH pre-conditions and how they can be met, can be found in paragraphs 4.92–4.109 of the ECO3 Guidance: delivery.

There are a small number of circumstances in which the pre-conditions do not apply, where it may be impossible, or disproportionately difficult for the pre-conditions to be met. These should be assessed on a cases-by-case basis. Details of the technical exemptions and non-technical reasons can be found in paragraphs 4.110-4.116 of the ECO3 Guidance: delivery.

Does Ofgem check the quality of ECO installations?

Yes. We have auditing, independent technical monitoring and score monitoring systems in place to monitor quality of installations and confirm that the information provided by suppliers is correct.

Where an audit or monitoring inspection of a notified measure establishes that certain information provided to us is not accurate, or that measures have not been installed to the required standards, we may:

• refuse savings to a measure, or revoke an earlier decision to attribute savings to the measure;
• initiate further auditing or monitoring of the supplier if the results of the initial audit or monitoring indicate areas of risk in relation to that supplier, and/or
• suspend approval of measures we consider to be an area of risk.

Monitoring is organised by monitoring quarter, dates of which can be found in chapter 1.1 of our ECO3 Supplementary guidance for monitoring.

What level of technical and score monitoring do suppliers have to undertake?

We require that suppliers conduct technical and score monitoring of 5% of notified measures every quarter to assess whether these have been installed and scored in accordance with our requirements and to ensure premises and measures are as notified by the supplier. The sample must be representative across different measure types. At an installer level, suppliers must monitor 3% of measures for each installer every quarter. If a supplier notifies fewer than 100 measures for a single monitoring measure category or for a single installer, the supplier only needs to monitor one measure to meet the monitoring requirement.

We may increase monitoring levels on particular sets of measures if we have concerns about the quality of installation or the accuracy of scoring. You can find more information on technical and score monitoring in Chapter 8 of the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery and further guidance on our ECO3 Monitoring

What is the purpose of the pathways to compliance process?

The pathways to compliance process details how and when we expect corrective action to be taken as a consequence of poor performance in the supply chain.

The process highlights areas of concern within the supply chain, allowing suppliers and the supply chain to focus on improving specific aspects of delivery. This will help to improve the customer experience, as well as ensuring the reported savings are achieved. More information on the pathways to compliance process can be found in our ECO3 Supplementary guidance for monitoring.

Why are measures put on a pathway to compliance?

Measures are put on a pathway to compliance if our monitoring requirements are not met. This can occur either through insufficient monitoring inspections or when trigger failure rates are breached for certain subsets of measures.

Insufficient Monitoring Inspections - At least 3% of an installer’s measures for each individual supplier must be monitored each quarter. For instance, if the monitoring rate for Installer A is 1.5% for a quarter, all of Installer A’s measures for the relevant supplier in that quarter would be put on a pathway to compliance until sufficient additional monitoring or assurance have been conducted to meet the 3% monitoring requirement.

Trigger Failure Rate Breached - The technical monitoring failure rate for an installer is higher than 10% or the score monitoring failure rate is higher than 10%.  For instance, if Installer B has a technical monitoring failure rate of 18% for a supplier, all of Installer B’s measures for that supplier in that quarter would be put on a pathway to compliance until the required additional actions have been completed.

Small installer monitoring requirement – If a supplier notifies fewer than 100 measures for a single monitoring measure category or installed by a single supplier, the supplier only needs to monitor one measure to meet the monitoring requirement. If the supplier fails to monitor at least one measure of a set of fewer than 100 measures, these measures will be placed on a pathway to compliance. The fail rate threshold for subsets of less than 100 measures is reported to be 33%.

What is a subset of measures?

For the ECO3 Guidance: Delivery and the Monitoring guidance note, a subset of measures relates to:

• All measures installed by a particular installer for a particular supplier within a monitoring quarter
• All measures of a particular measure type notified by a particular supplier within a monitoring quarter

Each supplier’s monitoring results are considered separately, and installers are considered separately for each supplier. 

Which measures are affected by the pathways to compliance process?

If the results of technical or score monitoring show that our requirements for monitoring are not met for a certain subset of measures, all measures in that subset from the quarter that the results relate to will be put on a pathway to compliance. Measures from previous or future quarters will not be affected.

When will Ofgem make a decision about which measures are affected by the pathways to compliance?

Suppliers conduct technical and score monitoring on a quarterly basis, and submit the results of at the end of the month following a quarter. We analyse these results and inform suppliers if any measures are affected by pathways within the month after the monitoring results are submitted.

We expect suppliers to have a good understanding of their results, and the likely impact of the pathways, before submitting their results.

If suppliers identify subsets of measures that do not meet the requirements for monitoring, they should inform affected parties. If suppliers anticipate a subset of measures will be put on a pathway to compliance, we expect them to start taking appropriate action immediately, even within the same quarter to ensure a swift resolution. 

How will Ofgem inform suppliers of the measures it considers to be ‘at risk’?

We will give suppliers a summary of their monitoring results for a quarter. This will show:

• subsets of measures that did not meet the monitoring requirement and/or breached the trigger failure rate,
• the pathway that affected subsets of measures are on as a result, and
• the number of additional monitoring inspections we require in the first instance.

If a supplier has already conducted enough extra monitoring to cover the number of required additional monitoring inspections, we will instead ask the supplier for additional assurances for the relevant subset.

We will provide suppliers with a monthly monitoring report highlighting all open and closed pathways to compliance and all unresolved score or technical monitoring fails...

 How do I find out if my measures are on a pathway to compliance?

After each quarter, we inform suppliers which of their measures are on a pathway to compliance, and we expect suppliers to share this information with their supply chain.

An installer should contact the relevant supplier to establish if any measures they have installed are on a pathway to compliance.

What are the timelines associated with the pathways?

There are two different timelines for pathways to compliance. The timeline depends on whether a subset of measures is on a pathway for insufficient monitoring, or for high failure rates.

Pathways for insufficient monitoring need to be completed within three months.

Pathways for high failure rates need to be completed within six months.

We start the timer for a pathway to compliance from the date we inform the supplier a subset of measures has been placed on a pathway. A supplier always has to the end of the month in which the deadline expires to complete the pathway.

Example: A subset of measures is placed on a pathway for insufficient monitoring. We inform the supplier of this on 15 September. The supplier then has until 31 December to complete the necessary actions to remove this subset from the pathway to compliance.

If a supplier does not complete the necessary actions to remove a subset of measures from a pathway to compliance by the deadline, we will be minded to reject the whole subset of measures, with the exception of any measures that have passed score or technical monitoring inspections as required. 

What do ’internal query’ and ‘at risk’ mean in terms of Technical Monitoring? Does this affect approval of my measures?

If the results of technical or score monitoring indicate that for a subset of measures, either there has not been enough monitoring, or the trigger failure rates are met, those measures will be subject to further scrutiny. Such measures are referred to as ‘at risk’, because unless the supplier undertakes additional actions to give us confidence in these measures, there is a risk that we may ultimately not award savings to them. Putting a measure at risk does not remove any existing approval for that measure. Although the savings attributed to all qualifying actions are not formally determined until the end of the scheme, measures are approved in our internal operational workings. Measures that we consider ‘at risk’ are generally assigned the ‘Internal Query’ status on the ECO Register. This is to enable suppliers to more accurately track the status of their measures.

How can I get my measures off a pathway to compliance?

If the monitoring requirement is not met, suppliers must conduct enough inspections to meet it. Where the requirement is missed by a significant margin, we will also require assurance that this will not happen in future. Once a sufficient number of inspections are complete, the measures will be taken off the pathway to compliance.

If measures are considered ‘at risk’ because of high failure rates, we will first require additional monitoring to establish whether the reported failure rate is representative of the population. If this additional monitoring reduces the failure rate below the trigger rate (10%) the measures will no longer be considered ‘at risk’. If this additional monitoring confirms that the failure rate is above the trigger failure rate, suppliers will need to give us additional assurance in the quality of these measures. Depending on the observed failure rate, this may include:

• an improvement plan – identifying how issues will be resolved to avoid repetition in the future, eg training
• a root cause analysis to identify the cause of the problem, eg a specific operative, or measures failing on the same question
• internal installer assurance checks – including additional monitoring, and
• communication from senior management. 

You can find out more about the things we expect suppliers to do, based on the observed failure rate, in the Monitoring guidance note.

When will Ofgem review the measures ‘at risk’?

Following initial submission one month after the end of a quarter, suppliers can submit to us results of additional monitoring inspections or actions taken to address poor performance on a monthly basis. The deadline for these submissions is the 17th day of a month, unless this is not a working day, in which case it is the first working day after the 17th. We aim to assess the actions taken by suppliers by the end of the month in which they were submitted and report the outcome to suppliers. If this additional monitoring reduces the total failure rate to below the trigger rate, these measures will no longer be considered ‘at risk’, and will be released from the pathways to compliance each month.

How do the pathways to compliance account for installers responsible for low volumes?

We recognise that many installers deliver less than 100 measures for a supplier in a quarter and so there are challenges for these installers to monitor 3% of measures.

To alleviate this, we only require one inspection per quarter for installers that deliver fewer than 100 measures in that quarter for a supplier. 

What if I can’t gain access to inspect any of an installer’s measures where they are responsible for fewer than 100 measures?

If the supplier is not able to access any properties for an installer with fewer than 100 measures, we will waive the monitoring requirement for a single quarter. However, the supplier must then ensure it carries out at least one inspection in the next quarter. Suppliers report the results of non-access to us together with the results of successful inspections. We will determine whether or not to waive the monitoring requirement based on this information from suppliers. More information on how the non-access process works can be found in our Monitoring guidance note.

If no inspections are carried out for two quarters due to non-access, Ofgem would not have sufficient confidence in the quality and/or accuracy of measures. In such cases, only measures covered by the most recent monitoring report (ie the report for the third quarter) will be put on a pathway to compliance. If a supplier is concerned that it will not be able to inspect one measure over two consecutive quarters it should contact us for additional guidance.

What constitutes additional monitoring and to which measures does this apply to?

Any monitoring inspections conducted/due to be conducted above the required monitoring rate (3% per installer) are considered additional monitoring. Additional monitoring, whether to fulfil monitoring requirements or confirm failure rates, must be conducted on measures in the same quarter that the results relate to.

For example, installer A has achieved a monitoring rate of 6% for Quarter 2, 3% above the requirement. The monitoring results show a failure rate of 20% and as a result an additional 5% monitoring is required on installer A’s measures for Quarter 2. The total amount of monitoring required for Installer A is therefore (3% + 5%) 8%. As installer A’s monitoring rate was already 6% at the time of submission of the monitoring results, only a further 2% is required.

If an installer is contracted by numerous suppliers, will all of their ECO measures be considered at risk?

Each installer is considered separately for each individual supplier. If an installer is subject to further action under the pathways to compliance process, for the measures it installed for one supplier, measures installed for another supplier by the same installer will not be affected.

If an installer delivers measures to the same supplier via different managing agents or through Brokerage, will the measures for each delivery mechanism be considered separately?

The information provided as part of notification does not identify intermediaries within the supply chain. Regardless of how an installer delivers measures for a supplier, we consider all measures by that installer for a particular supplier as one subset. Therefore, if the trigger failure rate is met for that installer, all of its measures will be considered at risk for that supplier.

It is important to note that the installer is the company or individual who is at the lowest level in the contracting chain and has the relevant PAS certification. This will not be the management agent, unless the management agent themselves carried out the installation.

We identify the installer based on the information notified to us by the supplier. It is important that suppliers make sure they notify the correct installer, to avoid incorrect measures being included in a pathway to compliance.

How will Ofgem consider overturns of failed measures in relation to the pathways?

An ‘overturn’ is a situation where the monitoring agent agrees that a measure they had initially failed has actually passed inspection. If monitoring inspection failures are overturned after being reported to Ofgem and this reduces the failure rate below the trigger failure rate for that subset, the measures will no longer be considered ‘at risk’. These measures will therefore be released from the pathways to compliance as part of the monthly process.

Suppliers are encouraged to tell us each month about progress on failed measures, including possible overturns.

Can I see confirmation that my measure has been rejected?

For measures notified to us, each time we refuse or revoke savings of a measure we send a confirmation notice to the relevant supplier. The letter includes a list of the measures for which we have refused or revoked savings. You can request sight of this notice from the supplier, or another party you have a contract with, as evidence that we have refused or revoked savings for a particular measure.

Can ECO measures be delivered to ‘void’ or empty properties?

There is an overarching requirement under ECO3 for measures to be delivered to occupied premises that are also eligible through one of the routes outlined in the ECO3 Order.

Can ECO measures be installed in social housing?

ECO measures can be installed in social housing with an EPC rating of E, F or G or with an EPC rating of D, E, F or G for innovation measures, where the premises are let below market rate.

Delivery to social housing premises is limited to the following measures:

1. insulation measures
2. demonstration actions,
3. innovation measures, or
4. first time central heating systems (including renewable central heating) and first time district heating connections.

How can an installer ensure premises have not previously received funding for a proposed energy efficiency measure?

We do not offer checking facilities against submitted measures.

Ofgem checks for duplicate measures as part of the measure assessment process. Duplicate measures are the same measure type installed at the same address. Where we find an ECO measure to be a duplicate, we ask suppliers to establish which measure should be claimed. To support claims in situations like this, evidence should be kept relating to the installation of the measure.

Ofgem also carries out checks to ensure renewable heating measures (except ground source heat pumps) have not received funding under both ECO and RHI.

Where can I find the Notification Template?

The Notification Template is available on our website.

When is ‘N/A’ acceptable as an entry in a data field and what does it mean?

N/A may be used when a ‘required’ or ‘core’ field is irrelevant. N/A is not an acceptable when a response is ‘required’ or ‘core’ as defined in the Data Dictionary.

What should be entered in the ‘Unique_Property_Reference_Number_(UPRN)’ data field?

The twelve-digit UPRN code from the Ordnance Survey relevant to the premises where the measure has been installed should be entered where available.

How does the extension process work?

Up to 5% of the number of measures installed in a particular calendar month, and notified on time, can be given an automatic extension of three months to the notification deadline (the automatic 5%). The first 5% of late measures notified to us for a particular calendar month without an extension request are given this automatic extension.

Alternatively, a supplier can apply for an extension to the notification deadline. We are not obliged to grant an extension to suppliers and we will consider each application on an individual basis. We will grant an extension to the notification deadline if a supplier satisfies us that there is a reasonable excuse for missing the notification deadline. Where similar issues are raised more than once by the supplier as a reason for a delay in measure notification, this may not satisfy our requirements for granting an extension.

I have been told some of the measures I installed are on hold because of an extension request. How can I check which measures these are?

Our measure extension process is explained on our website. If a supplier requests an extension for a number of measures, we will send a confirmation letter to the supplier listing those measures. This includes the measure reference number, measure type, date of installation and part of the postcode for each measure. In accordance with data protection, we cannot release any further information. Suppliers may provide further details for each measure.

Your supplier should be able to provide this letter to verify that any of your measures are subject to an extension request.

What are the typical timescales for granting an extension, once the application has been made?

Timescales vary greatly, depending on the amount and quality of supporting evidence. We will request further information from a supplier where the original submission does not provide us with sufficient evidence to make an informed decision. Requesting further evidence is likely to delay our decision on whether to grant the extension. 

What is the average length of time given for an extension period?

Late measures, up to 5% of measures that a supplier has notified on time for that month, receive an automatic 3-month extension. Where we receive a formal extension request from a supplier they are usually given 2-3 months to notify us of measures once the extension request has been granted. We assess extensions on an individual basis, so the length will depend on the reasons outlined in the extension request and volume of measures affected.

What is the process if two or more obligated suppliers claim the savings on the same energy efficiency measure?

Each month we carry out an analysis to check if more than one supplier has claimed for the same measure at the same premises. If we find duplicate measures, we will contact the suppliers involved and ask them to liaise with other suppliers to establish which measure(s) is a valid notification. Once this has been agreed any invalid duplicate measure(s) will be rejected on the ECO register. You may be contacted by either of the suppliers for further information or to verify information provided.

Can Ofgem confirm if a measure has been claimed under ECO? If so, what evidence would be required to verify the identity of an installer?

a. ECO1 installer information sharing

It is not our policy to disclose whether or not an ECO1 measure was installed at a particular address. This is because we do not hold the name of the installation company that completed a measure under ECO1 and cannot therefore verify the identity of the installer in respect of individual measures.  

b. ECO2, ECO2t and ECO3 installer information sharing

In certain circumstances, Ofgem may be able to share information with an installer whether or not a supplier has notified a particular ECO2 (including ECO2t) or ECO3 measure (“installer information request”). 

This is possible for ECO2 and ECO3 measures as we hold the name of the installation company that completed the measure. This allows us to verify the identity of the requesting installer.

Ofgem can only process installer information requests made on or after 19 August 2015, when the privacy policy was updated. 

c. How to make an ECO2, ECO2t or ECO3 installer information request?

To protect the personal data of individuals, we require installers to complete a verification process. Suppliers are obligated to notify the name of the company that carried out the installation of the measure at the premises.

In cases where the measure is included in PAS 2030, and is installed by a PAS certified installation company, we would expect this name to be captured and notified. If you were subcontracted to do work, you may wish to contact the PAS certified Installation Company to instruct them to make a data request to Ofgem. There are two possible outcomes:

1. If we do not hold any information against the name of your installation company, we will not be able to provide you with the information requested. This does not mean the measure has not been notified to us. We will respond outlining what steps you can take next.
2. If we do hold information against the name of your installation company, we will send a template for you to complete with certain details of the measure(s) installed. Once provided, we will release information for the measures we hold information for though we do not provide the name of the supplier who funded the measure.

d. What does a response to an installer information request cover?

We will only process requests for measures installed over three months before the date of request. This allows sufficient time for the measure to be notified to us.

Note we are only able to deal with requests, which contain a maximum of 30 measures.

I have been told some of the measures I installed have been rejected by Ofgem. Is there a way I can check which measures they are?

Should Ofgem refuse to award savings to measures, we will send a notice to suppliers stating that we are minded to refuse/revoke approval. This notice includes the reason why we are minded to refuse/revoke savings for each measure. If we decide to refuse or revoke savings of measures, we will send a confirmation notice to the relevant suppliers listing those measures.

The Ofgem measure reference number, measure type, date of installation and reason for rejection are listed in the confirmation notice for each individual measure. In accordance with data protection legislation, Ofgem cannot release further information. Suppliers may provide further details for each measure.

We recommend that you request a notice from a supplier, or other party with whom you have a contract, as verification that your measures have indeed been rejected. If you know the name of the energy supplier claiming the measure(s) you installed you should contact them directly. Use our Eco supplier contact details page to find an energy supplier's details. Energy suppliers have indicated they prefer installers to approach them directly where there are issues regarding payment and approval status. The measure rejection process is explained on our website.

What information can Ofgem give to installers who have not been paid for measures they have installed?

Payment issues and other contractual issues between obligated energy suppliers, installers and other parties in the supply chain are regulated by contracts between those parties. Ofgem does not participate in any disputes arising from these arrangements. This includes disputes surrounding funding of ECO measures.

Installers seeking information about measures they have submitted may ask suppliers for evidence where we have refused or revoked savings for a particular measure.

You can find more information on formal notices to reject or revoke savings and letters about extension requests on our website.

I have been told that my payment is delayed because the measure is part of a batch submission. Is this correct?

No, although some suppliers may process measures in ‘batches’ as part of their internal processes, all measures are assessed by Ofgem monthly and decisions are taken on an individual basis.

• The ECO guidance and associated documents page is where you can access all guidance documents and publications on the ECO scheme.
• The ECO3 Guidance: Delivery is a comprehensive document for anyone looking for in-depth information regarding ECO.
• The Deemed Scores Matrix provides the scores for non-DHS measures.
• The ECO3 Measures Table provides a non-exhaustive list of the energy efficiency measures, which suppliers can install to meet their ECO3 obligations.
• The Matrix of ECO Document Requirements provides a non-exhaustive list of the evidence required by energy companies for each ECO measure installed.
• The ECO3 Notification Template is the form that suppliers send to us for each measure. All sections must be filled in accurately and correctly otherwise measures will be rejected.
• The Public Reports section of our website gives a monthly compliance update, which is provided to the Secretary of State.