Despite the government’s promise to wage war on fuel poverty across the housing market in England via the implementation of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) initiative back in January 2013, research by estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, has found just 7% of properties are in receipt of ECO measures.

GetAgent.co.uk analysed data on households in receipt of ECO measures since the scheme launched and what this equates to as a percentage of total dwellings across each area of England. 

The ECO was a government initiative introduced in January 2013 to help improve energy efficiency and support those at the sharp end of fuel poverty in England. 

The ECO set obligations for the big energy providers to install insulation and heating measures and to help reduce heating costs and energy usage. 

The research by GetAgent.co.uk shows that 1,794,601 households across England are in receipt of ECO measures, just 7.4% of the total 24,413,501 dwellings. 

The North West has seen the biggest benefit from the scheme, with 11.5% of all homes in receipt of ECO measures, with the North East (10.1%) and West Midlands (10%) also seeing a double-digit percentage of dwellings benefit. 

London has seen the lowest level of homes in receipt of ECO measures at just 4.5%, followed by the South East (5%). 

At local authority level, Blackpool has seen the highest impact with 21.2% of all homes benefitting from the ECO initiative. Other areas to see in excess of 20% of properties benefit include Bradford (21.1%) and Blackburn with Darwen (20.8%). 

Oldham (19.5%) and Burnley (18.6%) have also seen some of the biggest impact from the scheme. 

In contrast, London accounts for the top five areas with the lowest receipts of ECO measures, with Wandsworth seeing the least with just 1.2% of homes in the borough benefitting from the scheme. 

Outside of London, Mole Valley (2.4%), South Lakeland, Cambridge and Vale of White Horse have seen the lowest receipts of ECO measures since launch in 2013.

Founder and CEO of GetAgent.co.uk, Colby Short, commented: 

“We could all benefit from making our homes as energy efficient as possible, but it’s important to remember that the ECO initiative is very much focussed on eradicating fuel poverty, rather than knocking a few quid off the average homeowner’s energy bills. 

So it’s only natural that there has been a greater focus on areas of the market where this help is needed most and so there is always going to be a regional disparity in terms of the number of households in receipt of these measures. 

In the same context, not every home will require this help and the near 1.8m households to have benefitted are no doubt very grateful for this helping hand from the government. 

However, while 7% of all households is a strong start, let’s hope the government continues to build on these foundations and use this initiative to further remedy the issue of fuel poverty from those suffering across the nation.”

Table shows the total number of households in receipt of ECO measures between Jan 2013 and Dec 2020 as a percentage of total dwellings stock
Location	Households in receipt of ECO measures (to Dec 2020)	Total dwellings 2019	Households in receipt of ECO measures as % of total dwellings
North West	379,849	3,300,088	11.5%
North East	125,419	1,236,808	10.1%
West Midlands region	250,357	2,512,503	10.0%
Yorkshire and the Humber	236,633	2,440,528	9.7%
East Midlands	156,443	2,103,080	7.4%
South West	149,779	2,603,367	5.8%
East of England	140,188	2,705,425	5.2%
South East	186,470	3,717,756	5.0%
London	160,147	3,592,322	4.5%
England	1,794,601	24,413,501	7.4%
Source	Gov.uk – Household Energy Effeciency Statistics	Gov.uk – Live tables of dwellings stock
Table shows the areas with the highest percentage of households in receipt of ECO measures as a percentage of total dwellings stock
Location	Households in receipt of ECO measures (to Dec 2020)	Total dwellings 2019	Households in receipt of ECO measures as % of total dwellings
Blackpool	14,879	70,187	21.2%
Bradford	45,674	216,360	21.1%
Blackburn with Darwen	12,728	61,287	20.8%
Oldham	18,587	95,505	19.5%
Burnley	7,655	41,080	18.6%
Pendle	7,337	40,368	18.2%
Hyndburn	5,895	36,891	16.0%
Walsall	18,514	116,248	15.9%
Tameside	16,393	102,993	15.9%
Birmingham	67,815	441,536	15.4%
Hartlepool	6,764	44,250	15.3%
Manchester	34,640	226,995	15.3%
Middlesbrough	9,550	63,261	15.1%
Leicester	20,515	137,116	15.0%
Rochdale	13,161	93,703	14.0%
Sefton	17,630	126,962	13.9%
Sandwell	17,944	132,618	13.5%
Knowsley	8,977	66,519	13.5%
Bolton	16,005	124,444	12.9%
Luton	10,251	80,024	12.8%
Source	Gov.uk – Household Energy Effeciency Statistics	Gov.uk – Live tables of dwellings stock
Table shows the areas with the lowest percentage of households in receipt of ECO measures as a percentage of total dwellings stock
Location	Households in receipt of ECO measures (to Dec 2020)	Total dwellings 2019	Households in receipt of ECO measures as % of total dwellings
Wandsworth	1,772	148,075	1.2%
Richmond upon Thames	1,203	85,564	1.4%
Kensington and Chelsea	1,555	87,726	1.8%
Hammersmith and Fulham	1,617	89,186	1.8%
Westminster	2,382	125,312	1.9%
Mole Valley	939	38,772	2.4%
South Lakeland	1,551	55,820	2.8%
Cambridge	1,536	55,207	2.8%
Vale of White Horse	1,647	58,669	2.8%
Merton	2,388	84,570	2.8%
Winchester	1,530	52,740	2.9%
Epsom and Ewell	962	32,566	3.0%
Waverley	1,632	53,752	3.0%
Uttlesford	1,168	38,008	3.1%
North Hertfordshire	1,887	57,471	3.3%
East Hertfordshire	2,069	63,011	3.3%
Tunbridge Wells	1,694	51,339	3.3%
Reigate and Banstead	2,022	60,966	3.3%
St Albans	2,027	61,047	3.3%
Cotswold	1,501	44,938	3.3%
Source	Gov.uk – Household Energy Effeciency Statistics	Gov.uk – Live tables of dwellings stock

 END

Notes to Editors:

●        GetAgent pulls data from all of the major portals which are then cross-referenced with the Land Registry using their proprietary algorithms and input from partner agents.

●        GetAgent is the UK wide whole of market estate agency comparison website. Analysing performance through data to inform home sellers of the best agents.

●        Founded in 2015 by Colby Short (Stevenson Cartwright; SMG Worldwide) and Peter Thum-Bonanno (Find Properly; Analysys Mason)

●        Backed by Seedcamp, the prolific venture capital technology investor

●        And has to date received over 100,000 enquiries for agents from property sellers to a total property value of £30bn and are now serving over 10,000 enquiries per month.