Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to ensure that the Energy Company Obligation is targeted effectively at disabled people with conditions or impairments that are adversely affected by the cold.

Under the current iteration of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, which began in December 2018, we have extended eligibility to include people in receipt of disability benefits. These benefits include: Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits and their Ministry of Defence equivalents.

In addition, under an element of ECO called LA-Flex, obligated energy suppliers can meet up to 25% of their obligation by providing measures to households on low incomes and vulnerable to cold if they have been referred to them by a participating local authority. Some local authorities have used GP referrals to identify such vulnerable households.