TranslateVersion: Version V003
Published: 13 November 2025
Heat and Energy Efficiency Scotland: Area Based Scheme
The Scottish Government’s Heat and Energy Efficiency Scotland: Area Based Schemes (ABS) are designed and delivered by councils with local delivery partners. Targeting fuel-poor areas providing energy efficiency measures to many Scottish homes while delivering emission savings and helping to reduce instances of fuel poverty.
The Council have employed a managing agent to collect household information and evidence to ensure households maximise the grant allowance available through ABS.
Council Managing Agent – M-Four
The council and our project managing agent, M-Four Ltd, are joint controllers for Energy Smart: Energy Efficiency Measures information and are required to comply with Data Protection legislation. This ensures that individuals are informed of how their information will be used, who it will be shared with, and how long it will be retained for.
The type of information gathered for ABS:
Personal data will be collected on behalf of the council by our managing agent, M-Four Ltd, to verify that households are on a low income. This data will include:
- name
- address
- telephone number
- email address
- household income evidence (for example, payslips from the last three months, last three bank statements, recent tax return, P60 and benefit letters)
- landlord agreement letter
The documentation collected will be limited to information necessary to support your eligibility for the scheme.
What we do with your information
In line with the principles of data protection, your information will be retained and used for as long as is necessary. Where the information is no longer required or within three years of the project ending, your information will be anonymised, for statistical use, in line with North Ayrshire Council’s policies and processes.
Your information will be securely transferred and stored with in a secure location. Our contractors will also be responsible for ensuring the continued protection of your contact details, ensuring that these are only used by authorised personnel for purposes as agreed by the council.
Who has access to your information?
The council/Managing Agent will share information with the Scottish Government and the Energy Savings Trust for audit and reporting purposes. The council/Managing Agent will also share name and contact details with council procured ABS contractors.
To assess your property, undertake works and apply for warranty documents, your contact details will be shared with the council's appointed installer, Valley Group Ltd. This will include:
- name
- address
- telephone number
- email address
Information collected for the purposes of ABS will not be used for any other local authority purpose unless the law allows this. The council will share information where necessary with other organisations where it is appropriate to protect public funds and/or prevent fraud.
You can find more about fraud against the council and what information we gather and how it is used on the council website.
Withdrawal of consent
If you change your mind before installation has started, you can withdraw from the ABS scheme by contacting our Managing Agent, who will instruct the Council to delete your information. Please note that once your energy efficiency measure has been installed you are unable to withdraw your consent for your data being shared under these schemes.
Your information will only be used as the law allows. Further information about how the Council manages personal information can be found within North Ayrshire Council's Privacy Policy.
Project contacts
M-Four:
- by telephone – 0800 471 4738
- by email - contact@m-four.org
North Ayrshire Council Energy and Sustainability Department: