Greater London Authority Flexible Energy Rules for Energy Company Obligation grants

Greater London Authority Flexible Energy (LA Flex)

Written by Kate Hallewell

The Greater London Authority has made it possible for interested property owners and renters, as well as eligible households who are in need to install insulation or upgrade their heating while earning ECO grant funding from the government.

A set of rules have been published on the council’s Statement of Intent which will allow you to apply for these funds too.

1. What is Local Authority Flexible Energy or LA Flex?

The government wants your home to be warm and comfortable. They want you to have peace of mind during uncertain times, so they’re providing assistance for heating and insulation!
 
Recently, the Greater London Authority published a statement of intent that grants residents access to better heating options and insulation! This is good news for people who are struggling financially during this pandemic- a help for your energy efficiency and also saving the environment.

2. What grants are available?

The types of grants available to residents living in the Greater London Authority area include:

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?

Renters, homeowners and living in a housing association have a great chance for the grant. The easiest way to see if you are eligible is to use our eligibility checker here.

eco scheme eligibility rules for pensioners

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.

Greater London Authority

If you DON'T claim benefits, the criteria for identifying households in fuel poverty in Greater London Authority are as follows:

Criteria for Greater London Authority eligible households

Low income and vulnerability to cold

I. Aged over 60, and particularly those over 75
ii. Children under S and pregnant mothers
iii. respiratory disease (COPO, asthma)

iv. cardiovascular disease (e.g. ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease)
v. Moderate to severe mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
vi. Substance misusers
vii. Dementia
viii. Neurobiological and related diseases (eq. fibromyalgia, ME)
ix. Cancer
x. Limited mobility
xi. Haemoglobinopathies (sickle cell disease, thalassaemia)
xii. Severe learning disabilities
xiii. Autoimmune and immunodeficiency diseases (e.g. lupus, MS, diabetes, HIV)
xiv. Recent hospital admission resulting from a fall at home

Fuel Poverty

  1. We will work with London boroughs and other partners to promote our fuel poverty programmes to Londoners in greatest need
  2. Individuals in fuel poverty will be identified through our regional fuel poverty referral network and other fuel poverty projects operating in London
  3. We will work with Gas Distribution Networks to reach vulnerable off-gas households
  4. Our own data has highlighted those lone parents and members of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities are at greater risk of fuel poverty and we will target these groups

Aberdeen City Council Energy Company (ECO) Eligibility

QuestionResponseScore
Was the home built before 1983?Yes10
No-5
Is the home of a non-traditional construction e.g. solid wall?Yes8
No-4
What type of home is it?Detached4
Semi-detached2
End terrace2
Mid terrace0
What is the main heating fuel?Gas-10
Electricity0
Oil or other fuel8
Does the property have three bedrooms or less?Yes6
No-2
Does at least one member of the household spend most of the day in the home?Yes4
No0
This table details the criteria that Aberdeen City Council uses for Energy Company Obligation (ECO) eligibility (from their Statement of Intent published. on 30 June 2020).

Eligibility does not guarantee funding. For full details see the full Statement of Intent.

5. How much could you get?

One of the first things you should probably do when trying to get a grant is figuring out your heating situation. This will depend on how much warmth or heat you need and what type of property it’s in as well as whether there are any grants available for that area.

The grants are currently available as follows (subject to survey and meeting eligibility rules):

Download your EPC

The grant is given to the registered installer, without repayment. They’ll be happy to explain this upfront and provide an estimate as they can do so with no questions asked. If you want a cost breakdown before installation, ask your installer about it – all while making sure there are never any hidden fees or costs on top too! A free survey will tell if any grants available that cover your needs.

Greater London Authority flexible energy (LA Flex) rules are detailed in this Statement of Intent

A full list of all local authority flexible energy rules can be found on the gov.uk website

Apply for a grant

Check eligibility for grants

Fill in the short form to see if you are eligible for Government grants.