Image showing high quality EWI installation by INCA members

Poor Quality SWI Installs Under ECO & GBIS – INCA Responds

On 23rd January 2025 the Government announced that routine checks had identified widespread cases of poor-quality solid wall insulation installed under inherited Energy Company Obligation (ECO) 4 and Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). It also announced that it had taken decisive action to protect consumers, with 39 businesses immediately suspended by TrustMark and prevented from installing new solid wall insulation.

The statement from the then Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh MP went on to state that the installers responsible for the substandard work would be forced to fix it and households should not be asked to pay. The Minister went on to claim that the poor-quality installations were the result of years of a failed system, and that ministers were committed to introducing new reforms to drive-up quality and protect consumers through the Warm Homes Plan.

“The government has inherited a situation where there are several organisations with different roles and responsibilities, producing a fragmented and confusing system of protections for people wanting to make their homes more energy efficient. 

 

While installers are responsible for poor-quality installations, they have been permitted to operate in a broken-up system of regulation which has left some households exposed to bad practices, along with little idea of where to turn to if things go wrong.  

 

This system can no longer command confidence and ministers will now press ahead with a sweeping overhaul through the Warm Homes Plan, so that people can be confident of the quality of upgrading and insulating homes, which could help save money on their bills.” Miatta Fahnbulleh MP

At the same time Ofgem also announced that they would be writing to everyone who had either internal wall insulation (IWI) or external wall insulation (EWI) fitted though either GBIS or the ECO4 scheme (from 2022) to establish the extent of the problem and to reassure households who may have been affected.

As a result of the recent reshuffle resulting in the appointment of a new Minister for Energy Consumers, Martin McCluskey MP and as we await the publication of the National Audit Office report on this issue INCA publish their response to the problem and outline the changes that need to be made to the current system in order to drive up quality standards and best practice throughout the funded domestic retrofit sector.

On the 9th October 2025 INCA wrote to the new Minister with the following message (excerpt below):

Martin McCluskey MP 
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Energy Consumers)
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero 
55 Whitehall 
London 
SW1A 2HP 

9th October 2025 

Dear Minister for Energy Consumers 

As you highlighted in your speech at our Labour Party Conference event last week, we have much work to do to rebuild consumer confidence in the solid wall insulation industry of which external wall insulation is a major element. We would therefore like to outline our views and suggestions for your consideration in this respect.

First and foremost, it goes without saying that INCA welcomes any move to improve quality and standards. INCA and its members are committed to driving up installation standards to improve consumer confidence and have the greatest impact on energy use and wellbeing.

Poor quality installations can have a detrimental effect on the healthiness of a home and the integrity of a building, and reputable businesses are harmed by the actions of a minority.

INCA has a robust membership criterion and sets strict quality guidelines for its members, and it should be noted that no INCA member was among those Trustmark accredited installers initially sanctioned by government for substandard installations under ECO schemes.

We encourage Government to consider a complete overhaul of the current system taking into account the following:

  1. Trustmark, or similar Government endorsed, not for profit and fully independent body to remain in place to oversee the Government funded domestic retrofit market. However, it should be better resourced and given full powers to police all market participants who should answer directly and be fully accountable to this body.
  2. A much stricter Trustmark EWI installer accreditation / registration criteria is required. To include (in addition to current criteria):
    • A minimum level of installer experience within the EWI industry (INCA criteria stipulates at least 2 years industry experience).
    • Evidenced high standard of installation workmanship (audit of completed works, system designer references etc).
    • Proof of system designer training (Trustmark registration could even be manufacturer / system specific as per the NSAI model in Ireland).
    • Proof of workforce training and training policy.
    • Registration could also be linked to the EWI competency framework – an INCA led initiative on behalf of the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) currently at implementation stage.
  3. Subcontracting of installation works should only be permitted to other fully accredited Trustmark installers meeting the enhanced criteria as laid out above.
  4. Trustmark / PAS compliance process to be reviewed to streamline, drive efficiencies and standardise compliance requirements.
  5. Only full and accredited EWI systems should be installed and insurance backed guarantees should only be issued after system manufacturer sign off and subsequent receipt of the system manufacturer warrantee.
  6. The role of the Retrofit Coordinator should be impartial and enhanced to take full responsibility for interaction between multiple energy efficiency measures and the resulting ventilation strategy.
  7. Lead generation / canvassing should be regulated or outlawed.
  8. Distribution of funding via Local Authorities or area-based schemes (highly successful in Scotland) rather than via energy companies should be considered to ensure that funding is reaching those who need it most.

At the moment it is far too easy to become a Trustmark accredited installer of EWI – this needs to change. Gaining Trustmark accreditation, and hence access to Government funding, should be a robust and stringent process with installers being required to prove themselves to be fully trained, experienced, and competent in installing EWI systems.

A review process should also be put in place for periodic revalidation of Trustmark accreditation and application costs along with any regular review, renewal and revalidation fees should be at appropriate levels to ensure Trustmark are adequately resourced to effectively manage, audit and police the industry.

Having a requirement for a minimum level of industry experience (as previously stated, INCA stipulate a 2 year minimum within our own membership criteria) would prevent companies setting up purely to access funding works and the requirement for proof of training, experience and competence in specific systems would better ensure quality of workmanship.

As an alternative to a minimum, level of industry experience a provisional and temporary Trustmark accreditation could be considered along similar lines to the NSAI model in Ireland whereby any new applicant would undergo a strict and thorough audit process (paid for by the installer) for the first three ECO funded projects to monitor and assess standard of workmanship prior to full accreditation being granted.

Whilst we are hearing many differing opinions and suggested solutions to the current issues relating to poor quality installations under ECO and GBIS, to INCA the very root of the problem is clear and obvious – it lies in the fact that there are too many of the 400+ Trustmark accredited EWI installers who have very little experience or no experience in installing EWI systems but who are able to access Government money by subcontracting out ECO funded works (often on a lowest price basis) to other equally inexperienced installers, and until this is addressed the problems will remain.

Contact Details:
Email: info@inca-ltd.org.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inca/
Telephone: 0330 124 6585

About INCA

  • INCA is the recognised trade association for the External Wall Insulation (EWI) industry in the UK representing system designers, specialist installers and key component suppliers
  • INCA has proven longevity as a trade body dating back 40 years. Current membership is 93, please refer to the INCA website for a current breakdown of our membership types: contractors, manufacturers, and associates
  • INCA’s vision: The delivery of growth in sustainable fabric performance solutions as the primary focus in combating fuel poverty and protecting the environment
  • INCA’s mission: To represent members of the External Wall Insulation industry through technical excellence, education, effective collaboration, strong marketing, communications, and member benefits.