Explanatory note

This Order amends the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/875), which establishes a scheme referred to as the “ECO4 scheme”, and the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/873), which establishes a scheme referred to as the “ECO4A scheme”.

Articles 4 to 7 make changes to both the ECO4 and ECO4A schemes relating to—

• the definition of “rural area”;

• installation standards: referrals by TrustMark or another person;

• advice given on the benefits of smart meters;

• reassignment of savings under the ECO4 scheme to the ECO4A scheme.

Articles 8 to 11 make changes to the ECO4 scheme relating to—

• updated Publicly Available Specifications 2030 and 2035 standards;

• the scheme off-gas hierarchy as it relates to improvement options evaluation reports;

• innovation measures as they relate to shared ground loops;

• scheme installation standards as they relate to building repair fabric.

Articles 12 to 14 make changes to the ECO4A scheme relating to—

• the scoring of savings over 25% of a participant’s total home-heating cost reduction obligation;

• the maximum number of insulation measures per property;

• methodology for scoring.

A full impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business and the public sector has been published and is available at www.legislation.gov.uk. Hard copies of the impact assessment can be obtained from the Energy Company Obligation Team, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 55 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HP.