Sources: Ofgem, ECO4 and GBIS Flex Local Authority Guidance v3.0; Ofgem, local authorities. Checked 30 October 2026.
What ECO4 Flex is
Ofgem describes ECO4 Flex as a household referral mechanism within ECO4 that lets local authorities widen the eligibility criteria. It is aimed at private-tenure households living in fuel poverty or on a low income and vulnerable to the effects of a cold home, who may not meet the standard benefits route. A council that takes part must publish a Statement of Intent setting out how it will identify households, and it is the council that makes the eligibility declaration. Suppliers can also identify and refer households using their own energy debt data.
Flex does not replace the benefits route. If someone in your home already gets one of the eight ECO4 qualifying benefits, that is usually the simpler way in. Flex is for everyone else.
The four routes and the EPC rule for each
| ECO4 Flex route | Who it is for | EPC band: owner-occupied | EPC band: private rented |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route 1: household income | Combined gross household income under £31,000 a year | D to G | E to G |
| Route 2: proxy targeting | Households meeting at least two of seven "proxies" for low income and vulnerability | E to G | E to G |
| Route 3: medical referral | Someone with a severe or long-term health condition made worse by the cold, referred by the NHS | D to G | E to G |
| Route 4: bespoke targeting | Fuel-poor households found by a council or supplier method approved by a government panel | D to G | E to G |
Sources: Ofgem LA guidance v3.0, Table 1 and sections 6-9; GOV.UK, ECO4 Flex Route 4 Bespoke Targeting. Checked 30 October 2026.
Notice that Route 2 is stricter on the property: an owner-occupied home needs an EPC band of E, F or G, not D. Ofgem's guidance also says councils do not check the EPC band or tenure themselves. The installer's SAP or RdSAP assessment decides it, and that assessment can change whether you qualify. Our guide to the ECO4 retrofit assessment explains what happens.
Route 1: household income under £31,000
Ofgem's guidance says households with a gross annual income of less than £31,000 are eligible via Route 1, and that the threshold applies irrespective of property size, household composition or region. The figure is reached by adding together the gross annual income of every adult aged 18 or over who lives in the home permanently, including lodgers and relatives.
Gross means before tax and other deductions. The guidance lists regular income such as:
- earnings from employment and self-employment;
- pension payments, including the State Pension;
- interest earned on savings, dividends and capital gains from shares;
- benefits in kind from an employer;
- income from owned and rented property.
This is the route most pensioners who do not claim Pension Credit end up using; see ECO4 for pensioners.
Route 2: two of seven proxies
Route 2 does not look at a single income figure. Instead a household is eligible if it meets at least two of these seven proxies for low income and vulnerability:
| Proxy | What it means | Typical evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Deprived area | The home is in an area in the most deprived 30% (IMD 2019 in England and Wales; SIMD 2020 data zones in Scotland) | Council confirmation, backed by official data |
| 2. Council Tax reduction | Entitled to a Council Tax reduction on low-income grounds (not the single person discount) | Council tax bill or council letter showing the reduction |
| 3. Vulnerable to the cold (NICE NG6) | For a reason other than low income: cardiovascular, respiratory or mental health conditions, disability, aged 65 or over, caring for young children, or pregnancy | A health professional's letter, or e.g. a PIP, DLA or Attendance Allowance award notice; passport or birth certificate for age |
| 4. Free school meals | A child in the home is eligible for free school meals due to low income | School or council confirmation |
| 5. Existing council scheme | Supported by an existing council scheme that the Statement of Intent names | Council confirmation |
| 6. Citizens Advice or supplier referral | Referred by Citizens Advice or an energy supplier | The referral |
| 7. Supplier debt data | Identified through an energy supplier's debt data | The supplier's identification |
Two combinations are not allowed: proxy 1 with proxy 3, and proxy 7 with proxy 5 or 6. So, for example, a pensioner over 65 (proxy 3) who gets a low-income Council Tax reduction (proxy 2) meets two proxies, while living in a deprived area plus being over 65 does not count as two.
Sources: Ofgem LA guidance v3.0, section 7. Checked 30 October 2026.
Route 3: medical referral
Route 3 is for households where someone has a severe or long-term health condition that is made worse by living in a cold home, due to a cardiovascular condition, a respiratory disease, limited mobility or immunosuppression. The council must have a referral from a GP, a Scottish or Welsh Health Board, or an NHS Trust or Foundation Trust, sent from an NHS email address or on headed paper. Our guide to health conditions that qualify for ECO4 covers this route in detail.
Route 4: bespoke targeting
Route 4 lets suppliers, councils and devolved administrations propose their own method for finding fuel-poor households who do not meet any existing ECO4 route. GOV.UK says each proposal must show how low-income and vulnerable households will be identified and what proportion are expected to be fuel poor, and proposals are assessed by a government panel. As a householder you cannot apply for Route 4 directly; you would be contacted if a scheme in your area uses it.
How to use ECO4 Flex
- Check your council takes part. Search your council's website for its ECO4 Flex Statement of Intent. Councils differ, and some have withdrawn or updated theirs.
- Work out your route. Income under £31,000, two proxies, or a health condition with an NHS referral.
- Gather evidence. Payslips and pension statements for Route 1; the documents in the proxy table for Route 2; the NHS referral for Route 3.
- Contact the council or an ECO installer. Ofgem says some councils allow self-referral. Many councils name the routes and the contact process in the Statement of Intent itself.
- Expect an assessment. The installer's SAP or RdSAP assessment confirms the EPC band and the measures. A supplier decides what to fund, so eligibility does not guarantee installation.
ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026, so check timing early; see is ECO4 still available for the dated position. For the full picture of the benefits route alongside Flex, see our ECO4 eligibility page, or how to apply for ECO4 for each contact route.
What happens next if you use our checker: choose "no" for benefits and the Flex question appears. We reply by email with the route that looks most likely. There is no obligation and no fee.
ECO4 Flex questions
What is LA Flex for ECO4?
ECO4 Flex (often called LA Flex) is a referral route inside ECO4. A council that has published a Statement of Intent can declare households eligible who do not get a qualifying benefit, using four routes set out in Ofgem's guidance.
What is the ECO4 Flex income threshold?
Under Route 1, a household is eligible if the combined gross annual income of all adults living there permanently is under £31,000. Ofgem's guidance says the threshold applies whatever the household size, make-up or region.
Does the State Pension count as income for ECO4 Flex?
Yes. Ofgem's local authority guidance lists pension payments, including the State Pension, as income for Route 1.
What are the ECO4 Flex proxies?
Route 2 needs at least two of seven proxies, such as living in one of the most deprived areas, getting a low-income Council Tax reduction, being vulnerable to the cold under NICE guidance, or a child eligible for free school meals due to low income.
Can I refer myself for ECO4 Flex?
Ofgem says some councils allow self-referral. Check your council's Statement of Intent or contact its housing or energy team.