The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has made changes to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) timetable via the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) (Specified Period) Order 2026. The Order applies in Great Britain, was made with the agreement of the Scottish Ministers, and follows consultation with the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority, Citizens Advice, Consumer Scotland and industry. It comes into force the day after it is made. (legislation.gov.uk)
The instrument extends ECO4’s final delivery period by nine months. Phase 4 is lengthened from a 12‑month window ending 31 March 2026 to a 21‑month window ending 31 December 2026, and the principal obligation dates in Articles 3 and 10 are aligned to that 31 December 2026 end date. (legislation.gov.uk)
For delivery teams, the completion window for measures qualifying under Condition A is adjusted. Article 12(1)(c) now requires measures to be completed on or after 1 April 2022 and before 1 January 2027, replacing the previous stop date of 1 April 2026 in the 2022 Order. (legislation.gov.uk)
Applications are time‑limited. Participants seeking approval of innovation measures must ensure applications under Articles 33 and 35 reach the Administrator by 31 March 2026. Applications for a measure to be approved as a data light measure under Article 38 must also be lodged by 31 March 2026. This cut‑off does not apply to applications for a measure to be approved as a standard alternative methodology measure under Article 40. (legislation.gov.uk)
Notification timelines move in step with the extension. Under Article 44, the long‑stop months for on‑time and late notifications are pushed back: June 2026 becomes March 2027; May 2026 becomes February 2027; and the date of 1 July 2026 becomes 1 April 2027. Article 44A(2)(b) similarly moves 30 June 2026 to 31 March 2027. (legislation.gov.uk)
Other consequential dates are updated. Article 47(4) changes the scoring window from 1 July–30 September 2026 to 1 April–30 June 2027. Article 80(2)(a) moves the transfer‑of‑measures date to 31 March 2027. Article 82 brings the Administrator’s final determination milestone forward to 1 July 2027, and Article 84(2) shifts the declaration‑verification service date to 1 April 2027. (legislation.gov.uk)
Parliament scrutinised the instrument under the draft affirmative procedure. It was laid on 26 January 2026; the House of Lords considered it in Grand Committee on 9 March 2026; and a First Delegated Legislation Committee in the Commons was appointed on 18 March 2026. (statutoryinstruments.parliament.uk)
DESNZ’s published consultation response explains the policy intent: a nine‑month extension to permit remediation of non‑compliant installations and to allow obligated suppliers to meet existing targets during an orderly close‑out. Scheme design and targets are otherwise unchanged. (gov.uk)
Operationally, obligated suppliers now have a clear sequence: submit any outstanding innovation or data light applications by 31 March 2026; re‑profile pipelines so installations finish by 31 December 2026; and align evidence and notifications to the revised Article 44 time limits and the Q2 2027 scoring window. (legislation.gov.uk)
Local authorities, social landlords and participants making use of declarations should note that validity rules in the 2022 Order-typically requiring declarations within 12 months before installation-continue to apply and will interact with the new completion date. Scheduling should be adjusted accordingly. (legislation.gov.uk)
At the time of writing, Ofgem’s supplier guidance still references the original 31 March 2026 end date for ECO4; the statutory extension to 31 December 2026 now governs and scheme guidance is expected to be updated. (ofgem.gov.uk)