How to get a free boiler or electric storage heater under LA Flex

If your property has a gas connection, property EPC rating is E or below, you can get a free boiler grant for your household. And if the gas connection is missing, you might qualify for a high-retention electric storage heater. 

Well, of course, you need extra qualification criteria that might include receiving qualifying benefits for the standard criteria while having low-income or health conditions for flexible eligibility. 

We have compiled this guide to help households get hold of free boiler or electric storage heater grants available. 

LA Flex sits inside the ECO4 framework, the government program forcing energy companies to fund heating upgrades. Standard ECO4 needs benefit claims. LA Flex doesn't. Your council makes the rules instead.

The difference? You get approved based on income, health, age, or vulnerability. Not whether you're claiming Universal Credit.

What you receive:

• A-rated condensing boilers (worth £2,500–£6,000)
• Electric storage heaters
• Heat pumps
• Full central heating systems
• Loft and wall insulation
• Smart thermostats and controls

Total package value: £5,000–£10,000 per property. Zero cost to you.

One route works. That's all you need.

Earn less than £31k before tax? You're in. This counts every adult in your home—wages, pensions, self-employment, benefits combined.

Your property needs an EPC rating of E, F, or G. That's it.

Self-employed? Use your actual business accounts. Don't guess. Projected figures get rejected fast.

No income check here. Meet one condition and you qualify:

• Live in a deprived area (LSOA 1-3)
• Get Council Tax reductions
• Have kids on free school meals
• Age 65 or older
• Care for young children
• Live where housing conditions are poor

Notice what's missing? Benefit requirements. Your council accepts vulnerability as proof enough.

Citizens Advice, your energy supplier, or a social landlord refers you. That's the entire process.

They've identified you as fuel-poor. The referral bypasses standard applications.

Does cold make someone in your home sicker? You qualify on medical grounds. Conditions that work: asthma, COPD, arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory illness.

You need a GP letter. Not a vague note, specific clinical language linking cold to symptom worsening. "Patient has asthma, which is aggravated by cold temperatures" works. "Patient has health issues" doesn't.

Seven years old minimum. Non-condensing, broken, inefficient, or missing entirely. Even B-rated boilers from 2010 perform poorly now. Age degrades efficiency faster than ratings suggest. Electric storage heater grants count if they're outdated or inefficient.

Social housing tenants? You're excluded. Your council manages heating already.

Own the property? Apply immediately. Rent privately? Get landlord permission first. In writing. Upload it with your application. Council or housing association tenant? Don't waste time applying. You're ineligible.

Timeline: 6-8 weeks. Current demand stretches this to 10-14 weeks in busy councils.

Use your energy supplier's online checker. Have ready:

• Postcode
• Household income estimate
• Current energy supplier
• EPC rating

This tells you whether continuing makes sense.

Get these ready in digital form. Phone photos work if text is clear.

Essential documents:

• Photo ID (passport or license)
• Proof of address (utility bill under 3 months old)
• Proof of ownership (mortgage statement or deed)
• EPC certificate (free from gov.uk)
• Income proof (3-6 months of payslips, tax returns, pension statements)
• Benefit statements (if claiming)
• GP letter (medical route only)

Missing one? Your application stalls for 2-3 weeks.

Use your council's portal or the approved installer's system.

Check every field twice. Errors delay processing by weeks.

Include all adults' income. "Forgetting" your partner's salary triggers automatic rejection. Don't play games here.

The council checks:

• Documents (2-3 days)
• Income and benefits (3-5 days)
• EPC validity (1-2 days)

You get email or SMS updates. Respond the same day if they request more documents.

A TrustMark surveyor visits. They assess your system and recommend upgrades. This survey costs nothing. It produces a detailed quote showing exactly what you'll receive. Ask questions. Take notes. This appointment clarifies your entire package.

Pick your installation date. Engineers remove the old system, install the new one, test everything, and provide certification. Removal, installation, and certification, all included in the funded package. Minimum 2-year warranty on everything installed.

Not every council participates yet. This step matters. Search "[Your Council Name] LA Flex" or "[Your Council Name] ECO4 Flex." Look for their Statement of Intent document. This shows which routes they've activated.

Can't find it? Call your council and ask directly: "Do you accept LA Flex applications?" Some councils use all four routes. Others restrict themselves to specific pathways. Your council's SoI defines the rules. No LA Flex program? Standard ECO4 through benefits may still work.

Standard ECO4: Benefit-dependent. Limited to Universal Credit, Pension Credit, specific disability payments.

LA Flex: Council-determined eligibility. Income thresholds, vulnerability factors, medical need, or direct referrals. One removes barriers. The other creates them.

Excluding household income. Both adults count. Your partner's salary isn't optional information. Missing the EPC requirement. D-rated properties don't qualify under most routes. Check gov.uk first.

Assuming social housing eligibility. Council tenants can't apply. Your landlord handles heating. Submitting vague medical evidence. "Patient has health problems" fails. Get specific clinical language.

Fuel poverty hits millions. Outdated boilers waste energy and money. Cold homes damage health. LA Flex Scheme fixes this without requiring benefit status. Working families qualify. Pensioners on fixed incomes qualify. Vulnerable households that fall through standard gaps qualify.

Visit your council's website. Search their Statement of Intent. Meet one eligibility route? Contact an approved installer today. Applications cost nothing. Surveys are free. The only risk is discovering you qualify for £10,000 in home improvements. That's a risk worth taking immediately.

This article was written in cooperation with Ecoenergyservices