Free Boiler Grant Areas We Cover (43 UK cities, ECO4 2026)
Quick answer
We have published in-depth, locally researched ECO4 guides for 43 UK cities: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bolton, Bradford, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Cornwall, Coventry, Derby, Derry / Londonderry, Dudley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Gloucestershire, Hull, Ipswich, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Newport, Newry, Nottingham, Oxford, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Sandwell, Sheffield, Southampton, Stockport, Sunderland, Swansea, Walsall, Wolverhampton. If your city is on this page, follow its link for the local council's LA Flex status, Gas Distribution Network and EPC band breakdown. ECO4 itself is open to qualifying households across England, Scotland and Wales — check eligibility in 49 seconds.
43
Covered city guides
This site
£0
Cost to qualifying homeowners
Ofgem ECO4
£680/yr
Typical heating-bill saving
Energy Saving Trust
31 Dec 2026
ECO4 scheme closes
Ofgem ECO4 Delivery Guidance v4.0
Which UK cities have a published ECO4 boiler-grant guide?
Each city below links to a researched guide covering its local council's LA Flex Statement of Intent, the Gas Distribution Network operator, housing stock, EPC band distribution and 6+ city-specific FAQs.
North West England
ECO4 coverage across North West England — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
Yorkshire and the Humber
ECO4 coverage across Yorkshire and the Humber — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
North East England
ECO4 coverage across North East England — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
West Midlands
ECO4 coverage across West Midlands — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
East Midlands
ECO4 coverage across East Midlands — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
East of England
ECO4 coverage across East of England — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
Greater London
ECO4 coverage across Greater London — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
South East England
ECO4 coverage across South East England — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
South West England
ECO4 coverage across South West England — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
Wales
ECO4 coverage across Wales — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
Scotland
ECO4 coverage across Scotland — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
Northern Ireland
ECO4 coverage across Northern Ireland — local council, GDN operator and housing-stock context per city.
Glossary: terms used on every area page
- ECO4
- The fourth phase of the UK government's Energy Company Obligation, running April 2022 to 31 December 2026, requiring large energy suppliers to fund energy-efficiency improvements in low-income and fuel-poor households (Ofgem).
- LA Flex
- Local Authority Flexible Eligibility — the route under ECO4 that lets councils nominate households who don't receive qualifying benefits but still meet local fuel-poverty criteria.
- EPC
- A government-issued rating (A–G) of a property's energy efficiency, valid for 10 years. ECO4 measures target homes in bands D to G.
- GDN
- The regional company that owns and maintains gas mains — Cadent, SGN, Wales & West Utilities or Northern Gas Networks. Connection costs for off-grid homes sit with the GDN, not ECO4.
- Nest
- The Welsh Government's fuel-poverty programme (gov.wales). Welsh applicants often combine Nest with ECO4.
- Home Energy Scotland
- The Scottish Government's advice and grant service (homeenergyscotland.org). Used alongside ECO4 by Scottish households.
Not sure if you qualify? Start with the UK-wide guides
Related reading: our national pillar pages cover the rules that apply in every area before the local council and GDN details kick in.
Free boiler upgrade — UK-wide guide
The complete ECO4 boiler-grant overview, from qualifying benefits to install timelines.
Read guide
ECO4 eligibility check
Who qualifies, which benefits count, what EPC band you need.
Read guide
LA Flex grants
The non-benefits route: how councils nominate fuel-poor households.
Read guide
Free boiler grant explained
What the grant covers, what it doesn't, and what survey day looks like.
Read guide
EPC checker
Look up your home's EPC band — needed before you can apply.
Read guide
ECO4 vs other schemes
How ECO4 compares to British Gas, Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the Warm Homes Plan.
Read guide
Frequently asked questions about our area coverage
Which UK areas can apply for a free boiler grant through this site?
We publish detailed ECO4 guides for the cities listed on this page — including Liverpool, Glasgow, Cardiff, Bradford, Portsmouth, Brighton and Plymouth. ECO4 itself is open to any qualifying household in England, Scotland or Wales; Northern Ireland uses the Affordable Warmth scheme instead.
Why don't you list every UK city on this page?
Every city listed here has its own researched guide covering the local council's ECO4 LA Flex status, the Gas Distribution Network operator, housing stock and an EPC band breakdown. We only link to cities once that research is published, so we never send a homeowner to a thin or templated page.
What is ECO4 and who funds it?
ECO4 is the fourth phase of the Energy Company Obligation, the UK government scheme that requires large energy suppliers to fund energy-efficiency improvements in low-income and fuel-poor households. It is regulated by Ofgem and runs to 31 December 2026.
What is LA Flex?
LA Flex (Local Authority Flexible Eligibility) is the route under ECO4 that lets councils nominate households who do not receive qualifying benefits but still meet local fuel-poverty criteria — typically gross income under £31,000, depending on the council's Statement of Intent.
Does ECO4 apply in Northern Ireland?
No. ECO4 covers England, Scotland and Wales only. Northern Ireland households apply through the Affordable Warmth scheme administered by the Department for Communities and delivered through local councils.
What's the difference between ECO4 and the British Gas free boiler scheme?
British Gas delivers ECO4 as one of the obligated energy suppliers. Going through a broker like Free Boiler Upgrade UK lets you access the full installer network rather than a single supplier's backlog — eligibility rules and funding source are identical.
Sources & references
- Ofgem — Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme rules
- gov.uk — Energy Company Obligation overview
- Welsh Government — Warm Homes Nest scheme
- Home Energy Scotland — Scotland's home-energy advice and grant service
- nidirect — Affordable Warmth scheme (Northern Ireland)
- TrustMark — Government-endorsed quality scheme for ECO4 installers