The government have introduced a new uplift in Wales that will boost funding for ECO4 by 35% for homes off the mains gas grind. This uplift is to encourage more ECO4 installations in rural areas of Wales that are more difficult to reach. This is a part of their efforts to become carbon neutral in the UK. This article will go over what this boost will mean and how it will affect homeowners living in Wales.
What is ECO4 for homes off mains gas in Wales?
ECO4 is a 4-year scheme that is currently running in the UK, between April 2022 till March 2026. The objective is to improve the least energy-efficient housing in the UK occupied by low-income and vulnerable residents. This scheme is a part of the government’s plan to become 100% carbon neutral.
Who is eligible for the ECO4 grant:
- Homeowners, landlords or private tenants
- Low-income, under £31,000
- Or, people receiving income-related benefits
- People heating their homes using an alternative fuel source (electric heaters, coal, LPG bottles, oil, wood, kerosene… etc)
If this sounds like you, you could be eligible and can apply for the grant. After applying, applicants have their property surveyed. The surveyor will recommend what to install to improve the home’s energy efficiency. Usually, the recommendation includes air source heat pumps, solar panels, loft and cavity wall insulation and new radiators. The surveyor might recommend other measures depending on the home.
The ECO4 funding uplift
The government has introduced uplifts of 35% in off-gas rural areas in Wales in order to incentivise delivery in areas that are going to be harder to reach or have higher installation costs. The uplift is in recognition that the deeper rural areas within Wales (32.8%, 2011) in comparison to England at only 17.2%. In order to target delivery in these areas, the off-gas uplift will not apply to England.
When looking at additional costs for ECO4 it was found that treating off-gas homes would be significantly more expensive, and therefore more funding was needed.
How will this affect homeowners in Wales?
The idea of the uplift is to incentivise installers to do more work in areas that are harder to reach within rural Wales. This is not going to take away from the positive effects of ECO4 on the rest of the country. But it will ensure that the extra funding enables households to access better heating solutions regardless of where they are.
Those who live in cities and larger towns currently aren’t having trouble gaining access to the scheme, but that cannot be said for deeper rural areas. This extra funding will make it more worthwhile for installers to travel to rural areas to carry out ECO4 upgrades to those homes that need it.
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