Written by Kate Hallewell
Aberdeen City Council are able to widen the eligibility criteria for the Government’s £4 billion Energy Company Obligation grant scheme.
The scheme provides very generous and fully funded heating and insulation upgrades for the inefficient homes in the England, Scotland and Wales.
Aberdeen City Council must publish a Statement of Intent to allow residents to widen access the grants to:
– Vulnerable people Aberdeen (over 65, families, people in debt)
– Low-Income households that earn less than £31,000
– Households with health conditions that are made worse by living in a cold home
Unfortunately Aberdeen City Council have not yet published a Statement of Intent
We last checked the Aberdeen City Council website on 17 May 2023 and could not find a Statement of Intent.
1. What is Local Authority Flexible Energy? (also known as ECO4 Flex or LA Flex)
You can still access Energy Company Obligation grants if you claim benefits but if you are vulnerable or are eligible through having a low-income (less than £31K) or because you have a health condition you cannot access grants until Aberdeen City Council publish their Statement of Intent
We last checked the Aberdeen City Council website on 17 May 2023 and could not find a Statement of Intent.
2. What grants are available?
The types of grants available to residents living in the Aberdeen City Council area include:
- Air source heat pumps
- Boiler grants (non-condensing boilers only)
- Cavity wall insulation grants
- First time central heating grants
- Internal wall insulation grants
- Loft Insulation
- Roof Insulation
- Smart thermostat grants
Boiler grants are expected to be removed from the grant scheme in the next phase so you should apply for this grant as soon as possible.
3. Who is eligible for grants?
Eligibility
There are 6 ways to qualify for a grant:
1. Receiving a qualifying benefit
2. Receiving Child Benefit and meeting income rules
3. Income-based eligibility (for households that earn less than £31,000 per year)
4. Vulnerable eligibility
5. Health-related eligibility
6. Bespoke targeting
This route to eligibility applies where a member of the household receives or has received a 'qualifying benefit'. If the benefit isn't a current claim (for example for households where they have gone back to work after the pandemic) providing the benefit has been claimed at some point within the last 12 months, the household will still be eligible for a grant.
Qualifying benefits include:
- Child Tax Credit
- Employment & Support Allowance (Income Based) - Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- Jobseekers Allowance (Income Based)
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Pension Credit Savings Credit
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credit
Note if you receive any of the following benefits you could qualify later in the scheme (or through the ECO4 Flex routes). We advise anyone claiming the following benefits to register for updates so you are the first to know when these benefits are accepted.
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- War Pensions Mobility Supplement
If you receive Child Benefit you could be eligible for the scheme but unlike the qualifying benefits above they would need to meet an additional income criteria.
The Child Benefit income criteria depends on the number of children in the household and also whether the claim is a single or joint claim.
The income limits are as follows:
Single parents
1 Child – £19,900
2 Children – £24,800
3 Children – £29,600
4+ Children – £34,500
Parents in a couple
1 Child – £27,500
2 Children – £32,300
3 Children – £37,200
4+ Children – £42,000
(figures updated to Ofgem’s Administration Consultation released on 13 June 2022)
If you are eligible through the Child Benefit route you should apply as soon as you can. The Government's Green Homes Grant excluded Child Benefit recipients so potentially this eligibility route could be removed later in the the scheme.
To be eligible through the income-based route your annual household income will need to be under £31,000. You will need to provide evidence such as bank statements and income information to confirm eligibility.
This is an ECO4 Flex route so it requires the applicants council to have published a Statement of Intent and to issue eligibility declarations.
Vulnerable people can access grants if they meet two of the following criteria (1 & 3 can’t be used together):
1. Lives in a Lower Super Output Area
2. Receives Council Tax Rebate (excluding for single person discounts)
3. Householder has a disability, mental health condition, is over 65, school children or under 16 and pregnant women.
4. Receives free school meals due to a low income
5. Supported by a Council scheme described in a Statement of Intent
6. Households referred by a Citizen’s advice as struggling to pay gas and electricity bills
7. Households in energy debt
A medical practitioner will need to complete a referral form to confirm eligibility.
This is an ECO4 Flex route so it requires the applicants council to have published a Statement of Intent and to issue eligibility declarations.
People with health conditions that are made worse by living in a cold home qualify.
These include:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Immunosuppressed
- Mobility issues
- Respiratory conditions
A medical practitioner will need to complete a referral form to confirm eligibility.
This is an ECO4 Flex route so it requires the applicants council to have published a Statement of Intent and to issue eligibility declarations.
Installers can target specific groups of people living in fuel poverty. Installers will approach you if your property is eligible through this route.
Aberdeen City Council
If you DON'T claim benefits, the criteria for identifying households in fuel poverty in Aberdeen City Council are as follows:
Fuel poverty eligible households will be identified as those that:
-have an income of £29,500 or less;
AND
– score 8 or above in their responses to the following high cost questions:
Aberdeen City Council Energy Company (ECO) Eligibility
| Question | Response | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Was the home built before 1983? | Yes | 10 |
| No | -5 | |
| Is the home of a non-traditional construction e.g. solid wall? | Yes | 8 |
| No | -4 | |
| What type of home is it? | Detached | 4 |
| Semi-detached | 2 | |
| End terrace | 2 | |
| Mid terrace | 0 | |
| What is the main heating fuel? | Gas | -10 |
| Electricity | 0 | |
| Oil or other fuel | 8 | |
| Does the property have three bedrooms or less? | Yes | 6 |
| No | -2 | |
| Does at least one member of the household spend most of the day in the home? | Yes | 4 |
| No | 0 |
| AB1 |
| AB10 |
| AB11 |
| AB12 |
| AB13 |
| AB14 |
| AB15 |
| AB16 |
| AB2 |
| AB21 |
| AB22 |
| AB23 |
| AB24 |
| AB25 |
| AB3 |
| AB31 |
| AB32 |
| AB4 |
| AB5 |
| AB51 |
| AB9 |
| AB99 |
| Lower Deeside |
| George St/Harbour |
| Midstocket/Rosemount |
| Hazlehead/Queens Cross/Countesswells |
| Torry/Ferryhill |
| Kincorth/Nigg/Cove |
| Airyhall/Broomhill/Garthdee |
| Kingswells/Sheddocksley/Summerhill |
| Dyce/Bucksburn/Danestone |
| Hilton/Woodside/Stockethill |
| Northfield/Mastrick North |
| Bridge of Don |
| Tillydrone/Seaton/Old Aberdeen |
Eligibility does not guarantee funding. For full details see the full Statement of Intent.
5. How much could you get?
- Boiler grants - non-condensing boiler upgrades are 100% funded (you may be required to have insulation installed for free to achieve the minimum uplift)
- Cavity wall insulation grants - up to 100% of the installation cost
- First time central heating grants - 50-100% of the installation cost (propeties must not have previously had central heating)
- Internal wall insulation grants- up to 100% of the installation cost (only available where electric is the main heating source)
- Loft Insulation - up to 100% of the installation cost (usually only available where electric is the main heating source but in some areas loft insulation is available for gas properties)
- Roof Insulation - up to 100% of the installation cost (usually only available where electric is the main heating source but in some areas roof insulation is available for gas properties where it is installed alongside a new boiler)
- Smart thermostat grants - up to 100% of the cost but only available through some installers
- Underfloor insulation grants - up to 100% of the installation cost but usually only installed alongside another measure like a boiler upgrade
The grant is paid directly to the Registered Installer and because it is a grant it does not have to be repaid. The grants are usually 100% funded. In some cases where a heat pump is installed contributions could be required (usually Band E properties only). Where contributions are required towards the installation cost the installer will quote for costs in advance and explain them to you before you proceed. The free no obligation survey will determine what funding is available to you.
Aberdeen City Council flexible energy (LA Flex) rules are detailed in this Statement of Intent
Apply for a grant
Check eligibility for grants
Fill in the short form to see if you are eligible for Government grants.