A lot of landlords write off ECO4 the moment they realise their tenant doesn't claim a qualifying benefit like Universal Credit or Pension Credit. That's only half the picture. Every district council in England and Wales can, in principle, run its own "flexible eligibility" route into ECO4 alongside the national benefits route — a route usually shortened to LA Flex.
We haven't independently confirmed that Oadby and Wigston operates a live LA Flex Statement of Intent for landlord referrals — councils publish, update, and occasionally quietly pause these documents, and there's no central register. Before assuming a Oadby and Wigston rental is ineligible on the benefits route alone, check with the council directly (search "Oadby and Wigston ECO4 Statement of Intent") — the alternative route is worth £5,000–£15,000 of grant value on a single qualifying measure, so a phone call is well-spent time.
Oadby and Wigston is one of several district councils inside Leicestershire, and each district can adopt slightly different flexibility around the ECO4 rules. That matters if you own rentals across Leicestershire — a property one district over could qualify under criteria that don't apply in the neighbouring one.