ECO4 axe pushes local retrofit firms to brink

Regional energy retrofit firms are warning of a supply-chain collapse after the Government moved to axe the £6.5bn ECO4 scheme that upgrades damp, mouldy and draughty homes for the poorest households.
The shock Budget decision scraps the £1.3bn-a-year programme in March 2026, handing bill-payers a saving of around £48 while pulling vital funding from low-income homes and the SME contractors that deliver the work.
Around 5,000 homes a month currently receive measures through ECO