Help from your energy supplier: the Energy Company Obligation

    You might be able to get help for energy-saving improvements to your home if you’re on certain benefits and own or privately rent your home.

    You may get all or part of the cost of:

    • loft or cavity wall insulation
    • boiler repairs or replacements

    Eligibility

    You must own your property or rent it privately and have the owner’s permission to do the work.

    You must also get one of the following benefits:

    • Pension Credit
    • Child Tax Credit (and your income is £15,860 or less)
    • Working Tax Credit (and your income is £15,860 or less) – plus one of the extra conditions below
    • Income Support – plus one of the extra conditions below
    • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance – plus one of the extra conditions below
    • income-related Employment and Support Allowance – plus the support or work related element, or one of the extra conditions below

    Extra conditions

    For certain benefits, one of the following must also apply:

    • you’re responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they’re in education or training)
    • you get Disabled Child Premium
    • you get Disability Premium
    • you get Pensioner Premium
    • you’re 60 or over (only if you get Working Tax Credit)

    How to apply

    Contact the Energy Saving Advice Service to find out what help you can get.

    Energy Saving Advice Service
    Telephone: 0300 123 1234
    Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm
    Saturday, 10am to 2pm
    Find out about call charges

    Complain about improvements made to your home

    Contact the company who carried out the work. You can contact your local Trading Standards office if you’re not happy with the response – they can investigate further.

    Contact Citizens Advice Bureau’s consumer helpline if your problem is still not dealt with. The telephone number is 08454 04 05 06.

    Your improvement works should be covered by a guarantee – check your paperwork to find out if you’re covered and how to complain.

    Complain to your energy supplier

    You can complain to the energy supplier who funded the work if you’re still unhappy. You can also complain to Ombudsman Services for energy if you have concerns about how you have been treated by an energy supplier.