LA Flex (Local Authority Flexible Eligibility): The ECO4 Route If You Don't Get Benefits
LA Flex (ECO4 Flex) lets your council refer your household for ECO4 funding when you do not get a qualifying benefit. You may qualify through one of four routes, such as gross household income under £31,000 or a health condition made worse by a cold home, if your council has published a Statement of Intent.
Flex is for privately owned or privately rented homes and ends with ECO4 on 31 December 2026. ApplyFreeBoiler is run by an ECO4 installer; we are not your council.
No benefits required - we assess based on your circumstances
What Is the LA Flex Scheme?
Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex, also known as the local authority Flex scheme or ECO4 Flex) is a route within the ECO4 energy company obligation. Standard ECO4 needs someone in the home to get a qualifying benefit. LA Flex instead lets your council refer households that are on a low income or vulnerable to the cold, using the routes set out by Ofgem.
Councils that take part publish a Statement of Intent, then issue a declaration for each household they refer. The declaration goes to the energy supplier or installer, and the council notifies Ofgem. Once referred, you can get the same kinds of measures as benefit-based ECO4 applicants: insulation, heating upgrades, and in some cases a new boiler or heat pump.
If you do get a benefit such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit, you do not need Flex: see who qualifies for a free boiler grant through the standard route.
Who Qualifies for LA Flex Without Benefits?
You need to meet one of the four routes in Ofgem's ECO4 delivery guidance. Your council chooses which routes it uses in its Statement of Intent, so check rather than assume you are excluded.
| Route | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Route 1: Income | Gross annual household income under £31,000 (Ofgem guidance). The limit is the same whatever the size of the household or where you live. It adds together the income of every adult aged 18 or over who lives in the home permanently, including lodgers and relatives. |
| Route 2: Proxy targeting | The household meets at least two of seven proxy measures, for example living in a deprived area (such as an IMD-based measure) and getting a Council Tax reduction because of low income. |
| Route 3: Health condition | Someone in the household has a severe or long-term health condition made worse by living in a cold home, for example a cardiovascular, respiratory, limited mobility or immunosuppression condition. Ofgem calls this route Medical Referrals: it needs a referral from a GP or the NHS. |
| Route 4: Bespoke targeting | The council sets its own bespoke targeting, as published in its Statement of Intent. New methods must be approved by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. |
The seven Route 2 proxies
You need at least two of these:
- Living in a deprived area: a Lower Layer Super Output Area within the Indices of Multiple Deprivation
- Getting a Council Tax reduction because of low income
- Being vulnerable to the cold under NICE guideline NG6, for a reason other than low income
- A child in the household getting free school meals because of low income
- Being supported by a council scheme that finds you on a low income and vulnerable to the cold
- Being referred to the council by your energy supplier or Citizens Advice for struggling to pay energy bills
- Being identified through energy supplier debt data
Some pairs cannot be used together: proxy 1 with proxy 3, and proxy 7 with proxy 5 or 6.
What counts towards the £31,000 income test
Gross income from all sources counts, including earnings, pensions (including the State Pension), savings interest, dividends, rental income and benefits such as Child Benefit.
Ofgem excludes inheritance, Premium Bond prizes, gifts, the 25% tax-free pension lump sum, student loans and casual payments under £1,000.
Which Homes Can Get LA Flex?
Flex is only for private homes. The EPC band you need depends on the route and whether you own or rent. You can find your rating on the GOV.UK EPC register.
| Route | Owner-occupied | Private rented | Social housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routes 1, 3 and 4 | EPC D to G | EPC E to G | Not eligible |
| Route 2 | EPC E to G | EPC E to G | Not eligible |
Source: Table 5 of Ofgem's ECO4 delivery guidance, version 4.0. Private tenants need their landlord's permission, and boiler replacement is generally not eligible in privately rented homes.
What Is a Statement of Intent and How Do I Find My Council's?
A Statement of Intent is the document a council publishes on its website to say it takes part in ECO4 Flex, and which routes and proxies it uses. A council must publish one before it can refer anyone.
To find yours, search your council's website for “ECO4 Flex Statement of Intent”. Some councils delegate Flex to a neighbouring council, and that council's Statement of Intent will say so. Our guide to getting a free boiler without benefits through a Statement of Intent walks through it.
What Is an LA Flex Declaration?
A declaration is the council's written confirmation that your household is eligible under one of the four routes and that it has collected evidence to show this. It is sent to the supplier or installer, and the council notifies Ofgem.
It must be issued within the 12 months before the work is completed. Under Ofgem's local authority guidance, a council does not have to sign every declaration it is asked for, and it can choose to work only with approved contractors.
What Evidence Will the Council Ask For?
- Route 1 income: for example tax returns, payslips, pension or benefit statements, a P60, P45, P11D or SA302, or an employment contract, for every adult in the home.
- Who lives there: for example a council tax letter, tenancy agreement, mortgage statement or the electoral register, or bills and letters addressed to each adult at the property.
- Route 3 health: a referral from a GP, an NHS Trust or Foundation Trust, or an NHS Health Board, sent from an NHS email address or on headed paper with a GP stamp. It must name the condition and say that a cold home affects it.
Income and residence documents must be dated within the 12 months before the declaration is signed (Ofgem ECO4 delivery guidance). Our free boiler application page lists everything else to have ready.
What Does the LA Flex Boiler Scheme Cover?
LA Flex can fund boiler replacement, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, an air source heat pump, or first time central heating, subject to a home energy survey confirming your property needs them:
Boiler repair or replacement where the home survey and ECO4 rules support it. It is not guaranteed, and it is generally not available in privately rented homes.
Reduces heat loss through the roof.
Fills the gap between wall layers to cut heat loss.
Internal or external insulation for homes without a cavity to fill.
A low-carbon heating system that can be funded under LA Flex where the survey supports it. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a separate, non-means-tested route for property owners.
A full heating system install for homes that have never had one.
All measures are assessed and confirmed by a qualified surveyor before any work is agreed — not every household will be offered every measure. Insulation often comes first: before certain heating measures, cavity wall and loft insulation must already be in place or exempt, so your survey may recommend it before a new boiler.
How Does LA Flex Work?
In short: check your eligibility, your council checks your evidence and signs a declaration, a surveyor visits, then the installer completes the agreed work. Contributions are not expected but may be requested, so confirm any cost in writing first.
Check your eligibility.
Complete our LA Flex checker so we can see which of the four routes might apply and whether your council has published a Statement of Intent.
Council checks your evidence.
Your council, or the council it has delegated to, checks your evidence against its Statement of Intent and, if you qualify, issues a declaration.
Home energy survey.
A qualified, TrustMark-registered surveyor visits to assess what your home actually needs.
Quote, contract and installation.
You get a written quote and contract before work starts. Once a supplier funds the project, the installer completes the agreed work, using Gas Safe registered engineers for gas work.
Timescales vary by council and installer capacity, and are longer where a council has a high volume of applications. We'll give you an honest expectation once we know your local authority.
LA Flex vs. ECO4 vs. Warm Homes: Local Grant
LA Flex needs no qualifying benefit at all, standard ECO4 usually does, and Warm Homes: Local Grant sits alongside them with its own income route (usually £36,000 a year or less). Read our Warm Homes: Local Grant vs ECO4 comparison for more detail.
| Criteria | LA Flex (ECO4) | Standard ECO4 | Warm Homes: Local Grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benefits required? | No | Usually yes | No |
| Who decides eligibility | Your council, using Ofgem's four routes | National benefit rules | Your local council, via gov.uk criteria |
| Income route | Route 1: under £31,000 (Ofgem guidance) | N/A — benefit-based | Usually £36,000 or less |
| Social housing | Not eligible | Has its own ECO4 rules | Privately owned homes only |
| Coverage | England, Scotland, Wales | England, Scotland, Wales | England only |
| Runs until | 31 December 2026 (with ECO4) | 31 December 2026 | March 2028 |
What If I Don't Qualify for LA Flex?
If your council's criteria don't cover your circumstances, you're not necessarily out of options:
Warm Homes: Local Grant — an England-only scheme run by local councils for privately owned homes (owner-occupied or private rented) with an EPC of D to G. Household income is usually £36,000 a year or less, or the home is in a qualifying low-income postcode, or someone gets certain means-tested benefits. It is delivered from April 2025 to March 2028.
Standard ECO4 — if you or someone in your household later starts receiving a qualifying benefit (such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit), the standard ECO4 route may open up.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) — a separate government grant towards a heat pump or biomass boiler for property owners in England and Wales, with no income test.
For heat pumps, see our Boiler Upgrade Scheme heat pump grant guide. We can check more than one of these routes for you in a single assessment.
Is ECO4 Flex Still Available?
Yes, until ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026. LA Flex is part of ECO4, so it ends when ECO4 does. The Great British Insulation Scheme, which also had a Flex route, closed on 31 March 2026. Warm Homes: Local Grant is a separate council-run scheme in England, delivered from April 2025 to March 2028.
Reviewed by the ApplyFreeBoiler.uk Team · Information last reviewed: 2 October 2026
LA Flex Scheme FAQ
Common questions about Local Authority Flexible Eligibility and ECO4 Flex.
What is the LA Flex scheme?
LA Flex (Local Authority Flexible Eligibility, also called ECO4 Flex) is a route within the ECO4 scheme. It lets councils refer households for ECO4-funded energy efficiency measures when they do not get a qualifying benefit. Councils opt in and publish a Statement of Intent before they can refer anyone.
Who qualifies for LA Flex without benefits?
There are four Flex routes: gross annual household income under £31,000 (Route 1), at least two proxy measures such as a deprived area and a low-income Council Tax reduction (Route 2), a severe or long-term health condition made worse by a cold home (Route 3), and bespoke targeting (Route 4). The home must also be privately owned or privately rented and meet the EPC band for the route.
Is the £31,000 limit higher for bigger households?
No. Ofgem's guidance says the £31,000 Route 1 threshold applies whatever the property size, household make-up or region. It is the combined gross income of every adult aged 18 or over who lives in the home permanently, including lodgers and relatives.
Does asthma or COPD count for ECO4 Flex Route 3?
Route 3 covers severe or long-term health conditions caused by a cardiovascular condition, a respiratory disease, limited mobility or immunosuppression, where living in a cold home makes the condition worse. A respiratory condition can therefore count, but only with a referral from a GP or NHS clinician that names the condition and says a cold home affects it.
Does every council offer LA Flex?
No. Taking part in Flex is optional, and each council publishes its own Statement of Intent, so what qualifies in one area may not in another. A council can also delegate Flex declarations to another council. Check your own council's Statement of Intent or ask the council whether it is taking part.
Is LA Flex available in Scotland and Wales?
Yes. Ofgem's guidance says all councils in England, Scotland and Wales can make Flex referrals, and the Scottish and Welsh Governments can refer households too. LA Flex is not available in Northern Ireland, where ECO4 does not apply.
What if my income is above the threshold?
You may still qualify through the proxy targeting, health condition or bespoke routes, or through the Warm Homes: Local Grant (England only), where household income is usually £36,000 a year or less.
Can tenants apply for LA Flex?
Private tenants can apply with their landlord's permission, if the home is rated EPC E to G. Homes let by a social landlord, such as a council or housing association, are not eligible for Flex. Ofgem's guidance also says boiler replacement is generally not eligible in privately rented homes.
Is LA Flex really free?
You should never pay a fee to apply. Measures are funded through the Energy Company Obligation placed on suppliers. Ofgem's guidance says contributions are not expected but may be requested, and you should not be asked to pay in full upfront. We are paid by the energy supplier for each installation we complete under ECO4, not by households. Get the scope of works, and any contribution, confirmed in writing before work starts.
How long does LA Flex take from application to installation?
It varies by council and installer capacity. After your council issues a declaration, a home survey is arranged, followed by installation once measures are agreed. The project must start within a year of the declaration, and ECO4 work must be finished by 31 December 2026.
What is a Statement of Intent?
It's the document each participating council publishes on its website setting out which households it will refer under LA Flex, including which of the four routes and proxies it uses. A council must publish one before it can issue any declarations.
Is LA Flex available in Yorkshire or the North East?
LA Flex is decided council by council, not by region. Yorkshire and the North East are each made up of several local authorities, and each decides for itself whether to run LA Flex and publishes its own Statement of Intent. Check your own council's Statement of Intent, then use our checker to see which route may apply.
Ready to Check Your LA Flex Eligibility?
Don't rule yourself out because you don't receive benefits — LA Flex is designed for households that fall outside standard eligibility. Check your circumstances against your council's criteria.