The Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2023

PART 4 Achievement of obligations

Achievement of total home-heating cost reduction obligation

9.—(1) A participant must achieve its total home-heating cost reduction obligation by no later than 31st March 2026.

(2) A participant must achieve its total home-heating cost reduction obligation by promoting ECO4A qualifying actions that have a combined score equal to, or exceeding, the participant’s total home-heating cost reduction obligation.

(3) In achieving its total home-heating cost reduction obligation, a participant must—

(a) where the participant has a home-heating cost reduction obligation for phase A which is greater than zero, achieve at least 90% of its home-heating cost reduction obligation for phase A by promoting ECO4A qualifying actions that are completed before the end of phase A; and

(b) where the participant has a home-heating cost reduction obligation for phase B which is greater than zero, achieve at least 90% of its home-heating cost reduction obligation for phase B by promoting ECO4A qualifying actions that are completed before the end of phase B.

(4) A participant may not rely on an ECO4A qualifying action for the purpose of complying with paragraph (3)(b) if the ECO4A qualifying action is relied on by the participant for the purpose of complying with paragraph (3)(a).

(5) In achieving its total home-heating cost reduction obligation, a participant must also promote low-income qualifying actions that—

(a) are completed before the end of phase A, and have a combined score equal to, or exceeding, 90% of the participant’s low-income minimum requirement for phase A;

(b) are completed before the end of phase B, and have a combined score equal to, or exceeding, 90% of the participant’s low-income minimum requirement for phase B; and

(c) have a combined score equal to, or exceeding, the participant’s total low-income minimum requirement.

(6) A participant may not rely on a low-income qualifying action for the purpose of complying with paragraph (5)(b) if the low-income qualifying action is relied on by the participant for the purpose of complying with paragraph (5)(a).

(7) The low-income qualifying actions relied on by a participant for the purpose of complying with paragraph (5)(a), (b) or (c) must include—

(a) where relied on for the purpose of complying with paragraph (5)(a), help to heat or social housing measures that have a combined score equal to, or exceeding, 20% of the participant’s low-income minimum requirement for phase A;

(b) where relied on for the purpose of complying with paragraph (5)(b), help to heat or social housing measures that have a combined score equal to, or exceeding, 20% of the participant’s low-income minimum requirement for phase B;

(c) where relied on for the purpose of complying with paragraph (5)(c), help to heat or social housing measures that have a combined score equal to, or exceeding, 20% of the participant’s total low-income minimum requirement.

(8) Paragraph (5)(a), and paragraph (7) to the extent that it relates to paragraph (5)(a), do not apply to a participant unless the participant has a low-income minimum requirement for phase A which is greater than zero.

(9) Paragraph (5)(b), and paragraph (7) to the extent that it relates to paragraph (5)(b), do not apply to a participant unless the participant has a low-income minimum requirement for phase B which is greater than zero.

(10) Paragraph (5)(c), and paragraph (7) to the extent that it relates to paragraph (5)(c), do not apply to a participant unless the participant has a low-income minimum requirement for any ECO4A phase which is greater than zero.

(11) In paragraph (7), “help to heat or social housing measure” means a low-income qualifying action that is an ECO4A qualifying action by virtue of meeting the condition in any one of articles 13 to 15.