EDF outlines opportunities for reformed energy efficiency schemes in upcoming Warm Homes Plan
- Simpler rules, long-term certainty and a greater focus on clean technologies in Government energy efficiency schemes would reduce household bills faster
- EDF has delivered over 130,000 ECO4 and nearly 16,000 GBIS energy efficiency installations, with ECO customers saving on average £900 a year
- To help customers access ECO and GBIS schemes faster, EDF has launched ‘ECO Direct’ managing the whole process from initial enquiry to final product installation
Ahead of Government setting out its Warm Homes Plan this autumn, EDF is recommending changes to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) which would increase more funding to households in need and to help meet its climate goals faster and more affordably.
To reduce the administrative burden of the schemes and ensure customers are getting the best value from them, EDF is recommending four key changes to the schemes.
- Commit to a 10-year scheme with no gaps, giving industry the confidence to invest in people, technology, and supply chains.
- Ensure schemes back the installation of smart meters, heat pumps, solar panels, and battery storage — technologies that cut bills, reduce reliance on imported gas, and improve energy security.
- Modernise eligibility rules to include those in energy debt that aren’t in receipt of means-tested benefits.
- Return to “deemed scores” to calculate energy savings from home improvements. In addition to reducing the costs of the scheme, this would also reduce the administrative load on Ofgem and lower the risk of fraud.
The supplier is investing £129m into ECO and GBIS this year, while DESNZ estimates that for the majority of installs, more than half of the available funding for a customer is absorbed by overheads and administration. EDF believes that through its recommended changes, the administrative costs could be lowered, directing more funding to customers.
To protect consumers, EDF believes all retrofit activity must be underpinned by a single, enforceable quality and redress framework that promotes more accountability and better outcomes for consumers. Households need to trust that the work being done in their homes is held to high standards and that clear, independent routes to resolution are in place when things go wrong.
The energy supplier is projected to install an additional 7,500 measures this winter (October to February), with one beneficiary already being Carol and John Howell from Worthing in West Sussex who had cavity wall insulation installed. “The installers were very professional, they helped move items before they started work,” they said. “They communicated very well, were very tidy and swept up afterwards, plus dealt very well with the limited access as our home is in the corner of our road.
“Our house already feels warmer and we have the heating on less. It retains head much better now and our smart meter shows less usage already.”
Philippe Commaret, Managing Director of Customers at EDF, said: “EDF has been a long-standing delivery partner in energy efficiency and knows what works. We want to work with Government but right now these schemes are not delivering their full value. We need to simplify the process, commit to long-term delivery, and focus on clean, future-proof technologies. That’s how we get real impact for households—and meet our climate responsibilities in a way that’s fair and affordable for all.”
EDF is also asking for better data sharing between suppliers, government, and local councils. This would make it easier to identify struggling households and get them support, via ECO and GBIS, quicker.
EDF recently introduced its ‘ECO Direct’ service, giving customers an end-to-end service from first contact to installation, reducing administration for customers, speeding up the process while giving peace of mind that Which? Trusted installer EDF is helping the process run smoothly.
The supplier has delivered over 130,000 ECO4 measures and nearly 16,000 GBIS installations creating almost £30m worth of savings each year to over 42,000 households.
