Nearly 300 jobs were lost when CES, which operated a major base in Llansamlet, ceased trading on 9 January following the UK Government’s decision to scrap the ECO4 funding scheme. The scheme had provided grants for home energy‑efficiency improvements, particularly for low‑income and vulnerable households.
Since the announcement, residents across Swansea and the wider region have contacted Sioned Williams MS, raising concerns about incomplete installations, unresolved faults and poor workmanship carried out by contractors working on behalf of CES.
Households left with no recourse
A BBC report cited a CES spokesperson confirming that the company would not be able to complete repairs or address existing complaints. Many of those affected are believed to be elderly or already living in fuel poverty.
Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, said:
“The recent news that Consumer Energy Services has ceased trading has sent shockwaves around the region I represent: initially in terms of the job losses at Llansamlet and the impact on the vital work to reduce fuel poverty in Wales, but now it’s becoming apparent that many have been left suffering from shoddy work at the hands of contractors operating on behalf of CES, with little clue as to how this will be resolved.”
She said constituents had reported homes left in a worse condition than before applying for ECO4 grants, with no clear route for repairs or compensation.
Questions over oversight and funding
Ms Williams said the collapse raised wider concerns about how the ECO4 scheme was overseen and the impact of its removal on efforts to tackle fuel poverty in Wales.
She highlighted reports that CES recorded significant profits in 2024, despite growing complaints from customers about workmanship and unresolved faults.
Sioned Williams MS said:
“Wales has some of the oldest, coldest and leakiest housing stock in Europe, and it’s concerning that this funding stream, which was greater than the Welsh Government’s own Warm Homes Scheme, has been scrapped with no replacement to date.”
She added that the loss of ECO4 funding would have a direct impact on the Welsh Government’s ability to support vulnerable households, particularly during winter.
Impact on Warm Homes programme
Ms Williams has previously questioned Welsh Government ministers about the reliance on ECO‑funded work to supplement the Warm Homes programme. She said the Chancellor’s decision to end ECO4 at the end of March would remove around £150 million a year from energy‑efficiency work in Wales.
Sioned Williams MS said:
“It is imperative that Welsh Government now review the effectiveness of their own Warm Homes programme, because the real fear is that this matter is a serious blow to ensuring warmer and more efficient homes in Wales, right in the middle of a very cold winter.”
Hundreds of workers still seeking answers
CES employed around 295 people across Swansea and Treorchy. Administrators have confirmed the company has ceased trading with immediate effect and will not complete any further work for customers.
The collapse has left both workers and households facing uncertainty, with local representatives calling for urgent clarity on how outstanding issues will be resolved.
