Energy Company Obligation Local Authority Flexible Eligibility Scheme

Energy Company Obligation, Flexible Eligibility, Statement of Intent

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO), first introduced in 2013, is an energy efficiency scheme for Great Britain that places legal obligations on energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic premises. The fourth wave of the scheme (ECO4) runs to 31 March 2026.

Compared to previous waves, ECO4 focuses on improving the least energy efficient homes, as only properties in EPC (energy performance certificate) band D-G can be treated. It also requires a more complete upgrade of those homes, shifting to a fabric-first multi-measure whole-house retrofit approach which prioritises the installation of insulation before considering other measures, such as air source heat pumps (for heating and hot water) and solar PV.

What is ECO4 Flexible Eligibility?

The main objective of ECO is to reduce fuel poverty by improving the least energy efficient housing occupied by low income and vulnerable households. One route that can be used to identify these households is through Local Authority Flexible Eligibility or LA Flex.

Under LA Flex, a participating Local Authority can refer owner-occupiers and private tenants that it considers to be living in fuel poverty or on a low income and vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home. To view our eligibility criteria please see our statement of intent:

Energy Company Obligation, Flexible Eligibility, Statement of Intent version 4 (PDF) (for declarations issued from 1 April 2022 onwards)

Energy Company Obligation, Flexible Eligibility, Statement of Intent version 3 (PDF) (for declarations issued from 1 June 2019 to 31 March 2022)

Energy Company Obligation, Flexible Eligibility, Statement of Intent version 2 (PDF) (for declarations issued on or before 31 May 2019 only)

Greater Manchester Combined Authority approved installers list

GMCA has appointed a list of three qualified installers who can help assess the needs of eligible households and install energy efficiency measures.

The three installers are Improveasy Ltd, Next Energy Solutions Ltd and PHS Home Solutions Ltd T/A 0800 Repair.

Each installer has been allocated specific areas of Greater Manchester to work with:

What next?

Working with the installers and NHS colleagues, the GMCA will be reaching out to potentially eligible residents across Greater Manchester to see if they would like to take advantage of this scheme.

Simultaneously, Greater Manchester residents who are on a low income or vulnerable can reach out directly to the installer allocated to their area to see if they are eligible.