What ECO4 was
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) required larger energy suppliers to fund energy-efficiency and low-carbon measures in low-income and vulnerable households. Its fourth phase, ECO4, ran with a whole-house approach and, for eligible homes, could fund solar PV alongside insulation and heating upgrades. For the households that qualified, this was the real "free solar" — paid for by the obligation, not the homeowner.
What changed on 31 March 2026
ECO4 closed to new measures on 31 March 2026. In practice that means the main national route to fully grant-funded domestic solar is no longer accepting new applications. Work already approved before the deadline could complete under the scheme, but new households can no longer start an ECO4 application for free panels.
This is the single most important fact on this site, because so much marketing has not caught up with it. "Free solar panels" adverts that imply an ECO-style giveaway are, in 2026, usually either out of date or a hook for finance mis-selling. If an offer sounds like ECO4, remember that ECO4 has closed.
What survives
Plenty — just not as a giveaway. The routes that remain live are the funded ones we cover across this site: 0% VAT to March 2027, the Smart Export Guarantee, zero-deposit finance and PPAs, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for heat, and business capital allowances. Some local-authority and supplier schemes also persist for specific groups, but they are patchy and area-dependent rather than national.
The Warm Homes Plan — what may come next
The Government has set out a Warm Homes Plan as the broad successor framework for improving the least efficient, lower-income homes. As of 2026 the detailed rules, budgets and timelines are still being confirmed, and the support is expected to be means-tested rather than universal. It may, in time, restore some grant-funded routes for qualifying households — but it is not a reason to wait on a promise that is not yet live.
We track the plan as it develops rather than overstating it. For the latest on that scheme specifically, see Warm Homes Plan funding. If you are on a qualifying benefit, tell us in the eligibility check and we will flag anything genuinely open to you now.
What to do in the meantime
Do not put your decision on hold waiting for ECO4 to return — it will not in its old form. If solar makes sense for your property, the funded routes available in 2026 can still make it work, often with little or nothing upfront. Check which apply to you, compare any finance on total cost, and use an MCS-certified installer. That is the honest path forward.