Local Authority Flexibility

Unlike ECO3 when a council would set out their own qualifying criteria, ECO4 has given councils 4 options to choose from. Once the Statement of Intent has been released from the councils, we will give you a list of which option(s) they chosen. Please find below the possible routes:

Option 1: SAP bands D-G households with an income less than £31,000. This cap applies irrespective of the property size, composition, or region.

Option 2: SAP bands E-G households that meet a combination of
two of the following proxies:

• Proxy 1) Homes in England in Lower-layer Super Output Area 1-3 (LSOA), or homes in Welsh provision LSOA 1-3 on the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, or the Index of Multiple Deprivation for 2020, published by the Scottish Government.
• Proxy 2) Householders receiving a Council Tax rebate (rebates based on low income only, excludes single person rebates).
• Proxy 3) Householders vulnerable to living in a cold home as
  identified in the National Institute for Health and Care
  Excellence (NICE) Guidance. Only one from the list can be
  used, excludes the proxy ‘low income’.
• Proxy 4) A householder receiving free school meals due to
  low-income.
• Proxy 5) A householder supported by a LA run scheme, that has been named and described by the LA as supporting low income and vulnerable households for the purposes of NICE Guideline.
• Proxy 6) A household referred to the LA for support by their energy supplier or Citizen’s Advice or Citizen’s Advice Scotland, because they have been identified as struggling to pay their electricity and gas bills.
• * Note proxies 1 and 5 cannot be used together.

Option 3: SAP bands D-G households that have been identified by their doctor or GP as low-income and vulnerable, with an occupant whose health conditions may be impacted further by living in a cold
home. These health conditions may be cardiovascular, respiratory, immunosuppressed, or limited mobility related. This is because the Council has identified a positive correlation between households who suffer from long-term health conditions and living off a low-income, with living in poorly insulated homes.

Option 4: SAP band D-G households that are referred under Route 4: Bespoke Targeting. Suppliers and LAs can submit an application to BEIS where they have identified a low income and vulnerable
household, who are not already eligible under the exiting routes.