Bristol City Council published a Statement of Intent on 29 November 2023 confirming its flexible eligibility criteria for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) and the Great British Insulation Scheme, which the document states run until March 20261. The publication is version V.3.11.
The council states that each household declared under the scheme will adhere to at least one of four routes1. Route 1 covers owner-occupied and private rented sector households with a gross annual income below £31,000, a cap the document says applies irrespective of property size, composition or region1. Route 2 covers owner-occupied and private rented sector households meeting a combination of two proxies1. Route 3 covers households identified by a GP, a Scottish or Welsh health board, an NHS Foundation Trust or an NHS Trust as vulnerable, where an occupant's health condition may be adversely affected by living in a cold home; those conditions must be cardiovascular, respiratory, immunosuppressed or limited mobility related1. Route 4, applicable to ECO4 Flex only, covers households referred under Bespoke Targeting, where suppliers and local authorities submit new identification methods to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero1.
The proxies listed under Route 2 are:
| Proxy | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Homes in England in Lower-layer Super Output Area 1-3, or equivalent areas in Wales and Scotland |
| 2 | A person at the premises entitled to a Council Tax reduction on the grounds of low income |
| 3 | A person considered vulnerable to the cold under NICE Guidance NG6: Recommendation 2, for a reason other than low income |
| 4 | A child at the premises eligible for free school meals due to low income |
| 5 | A person supported by a scheme established by the local authority and named in the Statement of Intent |
| 6 | A household referred to the local authority by its energy supplier, Citizens Advice or Citizens Advice Scotland as struggling to pay electricity or gas bills |
| 7 | Households identified through energy supplier debt data, listed for information only |
Proxies 1 and 3 cannot be used together, and proxy 7 cannot be used in combination with proxy 5 or proxy 61. Bristol's named scheme under proxy 5 is the Home Energy Team, which the document says provides free and impartial energy saving advice to people suffering from the impacts of fuel poverty, with householders identified by income and vulnerability checks1.
"The Council is publishing this Statement of Intent (Sol), on the 29/11/2023 to confirm that each of the households declared will adhere to at least one of the four available routes outlined below."
Installers and managing agents wishing to process ECO Flex declarations must contact the Centre for Sustainable Energy and sign its Code of Conduct, a process for which the document states there is a charge1. Householders who believe they may be eligible are directed to the Home Energy Team on 0800 082 22341. The council says a local authority officer, not a third party, will check and verify evidence and issue declarations1. The named contact is Arancha Craddock, Energy Supply Senior Project Officer, and the document is signed by her as dedicated responsible person on 29 November 20231.
Why it matters for households
Flexible eligibility is the route by which households that do not receive a qualifying benefit can still access ECO4 or the Great British Insulation Scheme through their council. Bristol's income threshold of £31,000 sits alongside proxy tests based on Council Tax reduction, free school meals, health vulnerability and supplier referrals, so a household may qualify on more than one basis. The distinction between the two schemes matters for what can be installed: the document describes the Great British Insulation Scheme as supporting ECO4 in delivering predominantly single measures to a wider range of households1. For a home, the practical effect of qualifying is access to insulation or heating measures that reduce heat loss and running costs, which is the point at which insulation and energy independence connect. The document does not state which specific measures Bristol households will receive, and no funding totals or household numbers are given.
What happens next
The Statement of Intent is published and in force, with the schemes stated to run until March 20261. The council will notify Ofgem of households for which declarations have been issued1. No further dated steps are set out in the document.
Sources1 cited
- Statement of intent for ECO4 and Great British insulation scheme, bristol.gov.uk