The Chancellor has just finished delivering her budget. After weeks of speculation about cuts to funding it’s now official:
No ECO5.
No rollover.
No replacement obligation scheme.
Before panic sets in here’s the bigger picture.
Even though ECO is closing, the UK is still putting huge volumes of investment into net-zero and carbon-reduction programmes – from renewables, nuclear, Warm Home Discount expansion, the Sizewell C levy, Contracts for Difference, the Capacity Market, and wider decarbonisation funding.
These alone run into the tens of billions over the forecast period.
So no — retrofit isn’t disappearing. It’s shifting.
Government is moving from “levy-funded household efficiency” to a broader “tax-and-invest” model across clean energy and net-zero infrastructure.
We spoke to Clint our Head of Partnerships who commented:
“Stay calm. Stay measured. Stay focused.”
“ECO ending changes the shape of the work, not the need for it.”
“And with the IAA Conference tomorrow, we’ll hopefully get more clarity and direction on how the sector adapts, collaborates, and keeps pushing forward.”
“There’s a lot happening, but there’s no value in panic.”
“Just preparation, partnership, and keeping your head while everyone else is shouting.”
Over the next few days and week the focus will be on the detailed analysis and political and business reaction to the announcements.
Watch this space.
