Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) providers are taking to work with (a) Age UK and (b) similar organisations to make the ECO more accessible to elderly people.

All elements of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) are accessible to elderly people, depending on their precise circumstances.

How ECO is delivered in practice depends primarily on the approach taken by energy suppliers. Many suppliers work in partnership with organisations, including in the third sector, to find customers to help under the scheme.

In addition, Government has taken steps to help energy suppliers identify relevant households. This includes allowing data that is used to deliver the Warm Home Discount to be used for targeting ECO. We operate the Energy Saving Advice Service, which provides a specific service to refer low income households for support under Affordable Warmth. We have taken action to link the Warm Home Discount and ESAS call centres.