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Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) (Specified Period) Order 2026

UK New Legislation

Published March 26th, 2026

Detected March 28th, 2026

Summary

The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has amended the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022. This amendment extends the specified period for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, primarily affecting energy suppliers and consumers by adjusting key dates and deadlines related to ECO phases and applications.

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What changed

This Statutory Instrument, the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) (Specified Period) Order 2026, amends the existing 2022 Order to extend the duration of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme. Key changes include extending "phase 4" from the twelve months ending March 31, 2026, to the twenty-one months ending December 31, 2026. Several other dates within the Order have been shifted, including application deadlines and reporting periods, with many now extending into early 2027.

Energy companies operating under the ECO scheme must review and update their compliance calendars to reflect the extended timelines. This includes adjusting project planning, application submissions, and reporting schedules. The extended period may impact how energy suppliers meet their obligations and how consumers benefit from energy efficiency measures. Compliance officers should ensure all internal processes and documentation align with the new end dates, particularly the revised deadlines for applications and measures which now largely fall in early 2027.

What to do next

Update internal compliance calendars to reflect new end dates for ECO phases and applications, with many now extending to early 2027.
Review and adjust project planning and reporting schedules based on the extended scheme duration.
Ensure all ECO-related documentation and processes align with the revised deadlines, particularly for measures intended for approval.

Source document (simplified)

Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Statutory Instruments

2026 No. 361

ELECTRICITY

GAS

The Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) (Specified Period) Order 2026

Made

25th March 2026

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2)

The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 33BD of the Gas Act 1986(1), section 41B of the Electricity Act 1989(2) and section 103A of the Utilities Act 2000(3), with the agreement of the Scottish Ministers(4).

The Secretary of State has consulted the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority, the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, Consumer Scotland, electricity distributors, electricity suppliers, gas transporters, gas suppliers and such other persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

A draft of this instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament pursuant to section 33BC(12) of the Gas Act 1986(5), as applied by section 33BD(4) of that Act, section 41A(12) of the Electricity Act 1989(6), as applied by section 41B(4) of that Act and section 103A(6) of the Utilities Act 2000(7).

Citation, commencement and extent

—(1) This Order may be cited as the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) (Specified Period) Order 2026.

(2) This Order comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

(3) This Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland.

Amendment of the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022

—(1) The Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022(8) is amended as follows.

(2) In article 2(1), in the definition of “phase”, in paragraph (d) (phase 4), for “the twelve months ending with 31st March 2026” substitute “the twenty-one months ending with 31st December 2026”.

(3) In article 3(1), for “31st March 2026” substitute “31st December 2026”.

(4) In article 10(1), for “31st March 2026” substitute “31st December 2026”.

(5) In article 12(1)(c), for “1st April 2026” substitute “1st January 2027”.

(6) In article 24(6)(b), for “1st July 2026” substitute “1st April 2027”.

(7) In article 31(1A)(b) for “1st July 2026” substitute “1st April 2027”.

(8) In article 33(2), after “The application must” insert “be made no later than 31st March 2026 and must”.

(9) In article 35(3), after “under paragraph (1) must” insert “be made no later than 31st March 2026 and must”.

(10) In article 38, after paragraph (2) insert—

“ (3) In the case of a measure that the participant intends to promote to be approved as a data light measure, the application must be made no later than 31st March 2026. ”.

(11) In article 44—

(a) in paragraph (1)(c)(ii), for “June 2026” substitute “March 2027”;

(b) in paragraph (4), for “May 2026” substitute “February 2027”;

(12) In article 44A(2)(b), for “30th June 2026” substitute “31st March 2027”.

(13) In article 47(4), for “1st July 2026 and ending with 30th September 2026” substitute “1st April 2027 and ending with 30th June 2027”.

(14) In article 80(2)(a), for “30th June 2026” substitute “31st March 2027”.

(15) In article 82—

(a) in paragraph (2), for “1st October 2026” substitute “1st July 2027”;

(b) in paragraph (4)(b), for “April 2026” substitute “January 2027”;

(16) In article 84(2), for “1st July 2026” substitute “1st April 2027”.

Martin McCluskey

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

25th March 2026

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order applies in Great Britain. It extends by nine months the specified period of the Energy Company Obligation scheme for the promotion of measures for reducing the cost to individuals of heating their homes. The overall home-heating cost reduction target will end on 31st December 2026 instead of the date originally specified in Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/875) (“ the 2022 Order ”). This Order extends by nine months deadlines for remaining procedural steps specified in the 2022 Order. The Order specifies 31st March 2026 as a deadline for certain applications under articles 33, 35 and 38 of the 2022 Order (but not for an application for a measure that the participant intends to promote to be approved as a standard alternative methodology measure).

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument, as no, or no significant, impact on the private or voluntary sector is foreseen.

(1) 1986 c. 44. Section 33BD was inserted by section 68 of the Energy Act 2011 (c. 16).

(2) 1989 c. 29. Section 41B was inserted by section 69 of the Energy Act 2011.

(3) 2000 c. 27. Section 103A was inserted by section 70 of the Energy Act 2011 and amended by section 60 of the Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11) and S.I. 2014/631 and 2022/34.

(4) Notwithstanding section 33BDA of the Gas Act 1986 and section 41BA of the Electricity Act 1989, as inserted by section 59 of the Scotland Act 2016, the Secretary of State may, by virtue of section 33BDA(10) of the Gas Act 1986 and section 41BA(10) of the Electricity Act 1989, make provision under section 33BD of the Gas Act 1986 and section 41B of the Electricity Act 1989 respectively for the purposes of obligations imposed under those sections in relation to Scotland, with the agreement of the Scottish Ministers.

(5) Section 33BC was inserted by section 99 of the Utilities Act 2000 and relevant amendments were made by section 15 of, and the Schedule to, the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006 (c. 19), Schedule 8 to the Climate Change Act 2008 (c. 27), section 66 of the Energy Act 2011 and S.I. 2014/631 and 2022/34.

(6) Section 41A was inserted by section 70 of the Utilities Act 2000 and relevant amendments were made by section 16 of, and the Schedule to, the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006, Schedule 8 to the Climate Change Act 2008, section 67 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Energy Act 2011 and S.I. 2014/631 and 2022/34.

(7) Section 103A was inserted by section 70 of the Energy Act 2011, and amended by section 60 of the Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11) and S.I. 2014/631 and 2022/34.

(8) S.I. 2022/875; relevant amendments were made by S.I. 2023/873 and 2025/941.