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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment has been made of the impact of his Department’s decision to disqualify some disabled people from support through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme on those who will no longer be eligible once the change comes into place.

The current Energy Company Obligation scheme, ECO4, has been designed to focus support on households with the lowest incomes and alleviate fuel poverty. This includes households with disabled people on the lowest incomes. The scheme is designed to improve the energy efficiency of homes, through the installation of insulation or heating measures, rather than provide a specific financial benefit. The scheme is delivered by energy suppliers, and eligibility for the scheme does not guarantee support.