ECO4 Route 2: Proxy Targeting

Under ECO4 Route 2, households must meet at least two of the proxies that are listed below and will be eligible via Flex Route 2. However, it is important to remember that proxy combinations cannot be used:

1. Proxy 1 with Proxy 3
2. Proxy 7 with Proxy 5 or 6

Proxy 1 #

This refers to consumers that live within a Lower Layer Output Area (LSOA) within one of the following Indices of Multiple Deprivation:

• England: An area that has been identified as an LSOA is the first, second, or third decile on the Index of Multiple Deprivation for 2019.

• Wales: An area identified as an LSOA in the first, second or third decile on the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019.

• Scotland: A “data zone” which is identified as being in the first, second or third decile on the Index of Multiple Deprivation for 2020

For evidence of this, a screenshot from the LA that confirms the consumer’s property is situated within an eligible LSOA area can be used, supported by Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.

Proxy 2 #

This proxy deals with consumers who are entitled to a Council Tax reduction due to low income but does not include a Council Tax Single Person Discount.

Suitable evidence for this includes:

• A copy of your council tax bill featuring the reduction. This can be sent as a photo, email, or PDF with your name and address.)
• A letter confirming your reduction from your local authority.

Proxy 3 #

This proxy refers to consumers who are considered to be vulnerable to the cold under the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidance NG6: Recommendation 2. This must be for a reason other than their low income.

To prove this, suitable evidence types could be:

• A referral letter signed by a doctor, GP, or other relevant health professional, is shared from a valid NHS email address.

• Or at least one of the following evidence types:

• An NHS Summary Care Record that states the patient is suffering from, or is in receipt of medication for, a health condition that can be found in the NICE guidance. It also needs to be authenticated by a GP practice stamp.

Cardiovascular or respiratory conditions: #

1. Hospital diagnosis letters
2. Social workers refer to letters
3. Copies of repeat prescriptions
4. Copies of referral letters to groups that help people with the conditions

Disability #

1. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) award notice
2. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) award notice
3. Attendance Allowance award notice

 Aged 65 or above #

1. Passport
2. Birth certificate
3. Copy of bus pass
4. Pension statement

For households with young children (aged 5 or under): #

1. Child’s passport
2. Child’s birth certificate

• For pregnancy, a MAT B1 form demonstrates proof of pregnancy on the date that the local authority signed the declaration.

This is not an exhaustive list and there are other forms of evidence that can be used if any of the above are unavailable to you. It is also recommended to use multiple forms of evidence when possible.

Ensure documentation is dated no more than 12 months before the day on which the declaration is signed.

If no evidence is available within this period, you should use the most recent evidence when possible.

To recognise the time and effort the health professionals put into their referral, a GBIS and ECO4 Flex NHS Referral Letter Template is available on the Ofgem website to reduce the administrative burden.

Proxy 4 #

A household with a child is eligible for free school meals on the grounds of low income. Evidence to support this includes Eligibility Checking Service (ECS) documentation showing the eligibility for free school meals due to low income provided by the Department for Education or the child’s school.

Proxy 5 #

Proxy 5 refers to a consumer that is supported by a scheme established by the local authority, finding themselves to be living on a low income and vulnerable to the cold under NICE GUIDELINE NG6.

This scheme requires to be named and described within the local authority’s Statement of Intent, LA’s must provide the name and a short description of the scheme they want to use.

An LA officer will be responsible for checking and verifying associated evidence submitted to them before the declaration is issued. A third party is unable to issue declarations on behalf of your LA.

Suitable evidence can be a signed letter from either the scheme coordinator or the LA, which verifies the consumer’s eligibility for the nominated scheme.

Proxy 6 #

Proxy 6 refers to a consumer who has been identified as struggling to pay for their gas or electricity bills. They have also been referred to their LA by their energy supplier, Citizens Advice, or Citizens Advice Scotland.

The organisation that is referring you DOES NOT need to identify a second proxy for which the consumer is eligible under ECO4 Route 2

The referee organisation must provide evidence in the form of a signed reference letter to the LA confirming the consumer they have identified as struggling.

Sufficient pieces of evidence can be a signed referral letter, accompanied by proof of gas and or electricity debt.

Proxy 7 #

This proxy deals with consumers who have been identified as having debt with an energy supplier. This route allows obligated energy suppliers to use their own debt database to find either:

• Non-Pre-Payment Meter customers

This will include customers who have both been in debt for over 13 weeks, ending with the day when the declaration was created, and those who find themselves in a debt repayment plan with their energy supplier, or repaying their fuel debt through third-party deductions.

• Pre-Payment Meter customers

Self-disconnected or are receiving suppliers’ Discretionary or Friendly credit within the last 13 weeks ending on the day on which the declaration is made. This also includes customers who are in a debt repayment plan with their energy supplier or are paying fuel debt through third-party deductions.

In the case a consumer has been referred to their local authority for support by their supplier using debt data, a supplier is allowed to sign the Declaration under Supplier Flex, so long as the second proxy being used is not Proxy 5 or 6.

Important: This proxy can only be used with one of the ECO4 Route 2 proxies 1 to 4.

Suppliers are also able to refer customers directly to Ofgem based on their own debt database, acting independently from the local authority. It is required for them to provide evidence for this through their own Project or Measure Notification.

They must also give evidence that the customer meets one of the ECO4 Route 2 proxies 1-4.