Qualifying Rules for LA Flex

There are 4 routes to qualify for LA Flex, and these are set out below.

Route 1:

Household Income. Households living in EPC bands D, E, F and G and with a gross income less than £31,000. This income cap applies irrespective of the property size, composition or region and is from all sources of income.

Route 2:

Proxy Targeting Households living in EPC bands E, F, and G and that meet a combination of two of the following proxies: (Proxies 1 & 3 cannot be used in combination with each other).

Proxy 1) Homes in England in Lower-layer Super Output Area 1-3 (LSOA)7, or homes in Welsh provision LSOA 1-3 on the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019. We can answer this for you, call us on 0800 8 10 10 60. We are preparing a list of the 40,000+ postcodes that qualify in Wales alone, and this will be available shortly.

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. Namely,

people with cardiovascular conditions
people with respiratory conditions (in particular, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and childhood asthma)
people with mental health conditions
people with disabilities
older people (65 and older)
households with young children (from new‑born to school age)
pregnant women

Proxy 4) A householder receiving free school meals for low income,

Proxy 5) A householder supported by a LA run scheme, that has been named and described by the LA in their Statement of Intent 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 Citizens Advice because they have been identified by the referrer as struggling to pay their gas and electricity bills,

Proxy 7) Households identified through supplier debt data. This route enables obligated suppliers to use their own debt data to identify either Non Pre-Payment meter households (non-PPM), or Pre-Payment meter households (PPM).

Non-PPM customers: These are customers who have been in debt for more than 13 weeks and are in a debt repayment plan with their energy supplier or repaying their fuel debt through 3rd party deductions. –

PPM customers: Suppliers may also identify PPM households who have either self-disconnected or received supplier Discretionary/Friendly credit within the last 13 weeks; or are in a debt repayment plan with their energy supplier; or repaying their fuel debt through 3rd party deductions.

Route 3:

NHS Referrals.

Households in EPC bands D, E, F and G and identified 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 fall under one of the four umbrella conditions:

· A cardiovascular condition,

· A respiratory disease,

· Limited mobility or,

· Immunosuppression.

Under this route you can be referred by your GP.

If you qualify under this route, please contact us on 0800 8 10 10 60

Route 4:

Bespoke Targeting.

Route 4 is where a Local Authority proposes a “method of qualification”, which is then submitted to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for approval.

At this moment in time (9/8/22) no local authority in Wales has a live Route 4. We are aware that some local authorities in Wales have submitted proposals but have not yet received any response from BEIS or Ofgem.

We will keep this page updated.

UPDATE: We have been informed today (17/8/22) by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy that “Route 4 will not be available until the end of the year”.

It is possible that the rules for Route 4 will vary between local authorities.