When I was re-elected as the MP for North East Fife just over one year ago, I promised to be a strong and consistent voice for our communities – to listen to concerns, act on them, and speak up in Westminster for those I represent. Over the past year, my team and I have taken on thousands of cases, but one issue in particular that has come to our attention is the ongoing failings of the ECO4 scheme.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme is a UK Government initiative aimed at improving energy efficiency in the homes of low-income households. Its fourth phase, ECO4, is designed to reduce fuel poverty, lower carbon emissions, and make homes warmer and cheaper to heat. These are goals I support wholeheartedly. Improving the energy efficiency of our homes is essential not just for our climate targets but for tackling the cost-of-living crisis too.
But what has unfolded on the ground, in North East Fife and across the country, is nothing short of a disaster for many of the people the scheme was supposed to help.
Residents were promised better insulation, energy-saving upgrades, and new heating systems. Instead, too many have been left with botched installations, incomplete work, and unsafe living conditions. One constituent told me their home was left without heating for weeks in the middle of winter. Another is now facing a bill of several thousands of pounds to repair damage caused by the installation process. These aren’t isolated cases – they reflect a wider, systemic failure.
That’s why I raised the issue in a Westminster Hall debate earlier this month. I brought the voices of affected constituents directly to the Government, sharing their stories and demanding answers. I was encouraged that the Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero acknowledged the seriousness of the problems, expressed concern about the human impact, and even offered to meet one of my constituents personally to discuss her case.
At the root of this problem is a lack of oversight, regulation, and clear accountability. ECO4 relies heavily on energy companies and their subcontractors to carry out work, but the system has little enforcement when things go wrong. Homeowners are left to navigate a maze of organisations, from energy suppliers to accreditation bodies, with no one clearly responsible when problems arise.
In several cases, constituents have been bounced from one agency to another, all while their homes remain in a state of disrepair. That is not just frustrating, it’s deeply unfair. These are people who engaged with a Government-endorsed scheme in good faith. They should not be left to suffer the consequences of poor regulation and ineffective complaints processes.
At a time when families across the UK are still struggling with high energy costs and the broader pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, it is unacceptable that a Government scheme could leave people worse off than before. If we want the public to support net-zero efforts and energy transition programmes, trust is essential, and it can only be built through transparency, protection, and accountability.
I’ve written to Ofgem and to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, raising specific cases and urging a full review of ECO4. We need clearer guidance and support for households engaging with the scheme, and stronger regulation and vetting of installers. We also need proper oversight of the entire delivery process, and, crucially, a streamlined and effective complaints process to provide swift redress to those affected.
Yes, we must improve energy efficiency, but we cannot allow that goal to come at the expense of people’s financial security, health, or peace of mind. A warm home should not come with the risk of a wrecked one.
As the MP for North East Fife, I will continue to champion the voices of those let down by ECO4. I will fight for compensation, accountability, and a system that actually delivers for the people it is meant to serve.
This is not about party politics, it’s about people. People who trusted in a scheme that was supposed to help, and instead were left out in the cold. They deserve better, and I won’t stop until they get it.
The Government initiative to improve energy efficiency in our nation’s homes needs much stronger oversight and regulation
