Qualification Approach and Plan

Timelines for Qualification activities by Wave

Failure to meet the deadlines set out in Annex C will jeopardise participant's Qualification and will trigger the MHHS Qualification Participant Escalation Process.  You can view this process in full via the link below.  

MHHS Qualification Participant Escalation Process

The Code Bodies only operated this process in relation to Qualification Wave deliverable deadlines and not Migration Pathway deadlines that were in advance of these. 

To support participants and to ensure that they were adequately prepared for Qualification, the Code Bodies published a Pre-integration Testing (PIT) and QT FAQ Guidance document. You can view the latest clean and red-lined versions (v1.12) of this document below:

Non-SIT Supplier & Agent PIT & QT Lessons Learned FAQ Guidance Document v1.12 (Clean version)

Non-SIT Supplier & Agent PIT & QT Lessons Learned FAQ Guidance Document v1.12 (Red-lined version)

The Code Bodies regularly updated this document to ensure that FAQs and lessons learnt were captured and published as participants progressed through PIT and QT. 

If you have any questions, please email the Code Bodies at MHHSQualification@elexon.co.uk 

Qualification Approach & Plan

The Qualification Approach and Plan (QA&P) applied to all participants that were required to complete MHHS Qualification, whether they planned to undertake testing through the Systems Integration Testing (SIT) or Qualification Testing (QT) route.

The QA&P set out the purpose of MHHS Qualification during the MHHS Programme and the high-level plan and requirements for Programme participants to undertake in relation to the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) and Retail Energy Code (REC).

The QA&P was supported by five Annexes, which you can view in the respective libraries further down this page.

1. Annex 1: Non-SIT Licensed Distribution System Operator (LDSO) MHHS Qualification Testing Approach   
2. Annex 2: Non-SIT Supplier & Agent MHHS Qualification Testing Approach
3. Annex 3: New Entrant Non-SIT LDSO MHHS Qualification Testing Approach 
4. Annex 4: Non-Completion of Qualification 
5. Annex 5: Removal of Market Participant Identifiers (MPIDs) that do not complete MHHS Qualification after Milestone 14 (M14)

Qualification Approach & Plan: Annex 5

In June 2026, The Code Bodies issued the MHHS Qualification Approach & Plan (QA&P) Annex 5: Removal of Market Participant Identifiers (MPIDs) that do not complete MHHS Qualification after Milestone 14 (M14) document for industry consultation. This Annex outlined the use of performance assurance techniques that Code Bodies used to enable the data cleansing of the Legacy Market following M14.

This consultation is now closed. Thank you to all participants who responded. 

This document outlined the MPID Data Cleansing activity of the Legacy Settlement Arrangements, in relation to Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) Parties who had not qualified their MPIDs under the MHHS arrangements. BSC Parties who had not achieved MHHS Qualification will retain their Qualification within the Legacy Market until it is removed by Elexon and the Retail Energy Code Company (RECCo), either voluntarily or involuntarily. This document details the steps that Elexon and REC will take to remove Legacy Market Qualification.  

The Code Bodies reviewed the consultation responses and presented an update to the Qualification and End-to-End (E2E) Sandbox Working Group (QWG), Qualification Advisory Group (QAG) and Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) Performance Assurance Board (PAB) in July 2026.

The latest version, Q&AP Annex 5 v3.0 was approved at the BSC PAB on Thursday 30 July 2026. You can view this document in the Qualification Approach & Plan: Annex 5 library further down this page.

If you have any questions about QA&P Annex 5, please email the Code Bodies at MHHSPAF@elexon.co.uk 

Update to Qualification Approach & Plan: Annex 4 Consultation

The Code Bodies published the revised Qualification Approach & Plan (QA&P) Annex 4: Non-Completion of Qualification document for industry consultation. 

This consultation is now closed. Thank you to all participants who responded.

This document set out the market sanction process under the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) if a current Programme participant fails to complete MHHS Qualification in line with the MHHS Programme Plan.

This consultation followed the approval of BSC Modification P495: Allow Suppliers to retire Market Participant Identifiers (MPIDs) they do not intend to qualify prior to MHHS Milestone 14 (M14). 

P495 included the requirement for Suppliers to:  

• identify MPIDs that are not intended for MHHS Qualification 
• confirm intentions for those MPIDs 
• include a plan for all Metering System Identifiers (MSIDs) on unqualified MPIDs 
• confirm intentions for any unqualified MPIDs with no MSIDs, that these MPIDs are dormant and will not be used for Central Switching Service (CSS) registrations 

This update to Annex 4 also covered the arrangements for Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) only Suppliers at M14.

For reference, you can view the consultation document in the Qualification Approach & Plan: Annex 4 library further down this page. We've also provided Annex 4 guidance in the section below.

Following this consultation, the Code Bodies reviewed the responses and presented an update at the respective Qualification and End-to-End (E2E) Sandbox Working Group (QWG), Qualification Advisory Group (QAG) and BSC Performance Assurance Board (PAB) meetings in June, where the document was approved.

If you have any questions about QA&P Annex 4, please email the Code Bodies at MHHSPAF@elexon.co.uk  

Qualification Approach & Plan: Annex 4 Guidance

You should be aware of this update if you are a Supplier in the MHHS Qualification process. 

In March 2024, the Code Bodies published the Qualification Approach & Plan - Annex 4, that outlined the process for any participants that did not complete MHHS Qualification within the required timescales. Annex 4 noted that existing Suppliers must have completed MHHS Qualification for Milestone 14 (M14): “All Suppliers must be able to access Meter Point Administration Numbers (MPANs) under the new Target Operating Model (TOM)”, on 28 October 2026.

At M14, if there were any Live or De-energised Metering System Identifiers (MSIDs) registered to a Market Participant Identifier (MPID) that was not qualified in MHHS, Annex 4 set out the steps that the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) would take. This obligation — and any related consequences — applied at the MPID level.

Unqualified MPIDs under a BSC Party ID level will be suspended from completing registrations in Central Switching Service (CSS), subsequently meaning that they cannot register new MSIDs. For clarity, Suppliers will be prevented from registering new MSIDs in legacy as well as new MHHS arrangements, as per the BSC obligation until qualification is completed.

Please note: If you have Legacy MPIDs that you didn't intend to qualify in the MHHS arrangements, these should have been Exited or Surrendered before M14 using the processes linked below, which take you to documents published on the Elexon website:

Exiting the Market

Surrender of Qualification

Annex 4 applied in any instances where participants had not exited or surrendered Legacy MPIDs.

The process for surrendering your MPID(s) is outlined in the BSC, however if surrendering your MPID(s) is related to a wider system or process change you must also disclose this to the BSC as per Material Change and Triggers for re-Qualification Guidance Note and to the Retail Energy Code (REC) as per Schedule 9 - Qualification and Maintenance Section 11.6.

Annex 4 confirmed that Elexon would regularly engage with participants and Ofgem on Qualification progress. Elexon also advised if there were any material issues with Central System, Code Body or MHHS Programme issues during the MHHS Qualification phase, that could be considered to impact a participant's ability to hit M14. 

The M14 milestone was set for 28 October 2026, with M15 follows in May 2027. This provided a window of just over six months between Qualification completion and the end of Migration. Code Bodies and Ofgem confirmed to GB Energy Market that any delay in these milestones puts significant risk to the MHHS Programme and transition for the entire Industry.

If you have any questions, please email MHHSQualification@elexon.co.uk  

QA&P Appendix C Consultation 

The Code Bodies published an updated version of the QA&P for industry consultation, having made minor updates to Appendix C. These updates include:

• Clarification that the Qualification Testing (QT) Execution Window includes the submission of the participant's Test Completion Report (TCR)
• Reduction of the QT Execution Window by one week for every Qualification Wave
• Reference added for the QT Assurance activity carried out by the QT Team on participant's TCRs

This consultation closed on Friday 30 January 2026. The updated document was approved at February's Qualification and End-to-End (E2E) Sandbox Working Group (QWG), Qualification Advisory Group (QAG) and the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) Performance Assurance Board (PAB). 

You can view the updated, baselined version 6.0 in the Qualification Approach & Plan library further down this page.

Please note that all the dates for the Qualification steps that took place after QT (e.g. Final Qualification Assessment Document (QAD) submission, QAD Director sign-off) remained the same for all Waves.

Due to the progress of QT and the projected performance of QT, Code Bodies didn't believe that the proposed updates to the QT Execution Window impacted Non-Systems Integration Testing (SIT) QT participant's ability to hit the deadlines for the Qualification steps that took place after QT. 

If you have any questions, please email the Code Bodies at MHHSQualification@elexon.co.uk

Qualification Approach & Plan Annex 1 

The Programme and Code Bodies made further updates to Annex 1 and published the artefact for industry consultation. The consultation closed on Friday 20 December 2024. Thank you to everyone who responded.

In general, changes were made to ensure that the artefact reflected updated delivery timelines following Ofgem's approval of CR055: Amendments to M10 and Corresponding Milestones, as well as the role of the Data Integration Platform (DIP) Manager in assuring Non-Functional Testing Requirements.

You can view baselined versions of this artefact which was approved at the Qualification Advisory Group (QAG), the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) and Retail Energy Code (REC) Performance Assurance Boards (PABs) in January 2025.

Qualification Approach & Plan and Annex 2 Consultation

In May 2025, the Programme and Code Bodies published the QA&P and Annex 2 for industry consultation. 

The QA&P was updated to reflect the change in Programme terminology from Systems Integration Testing (SIT) Minimum Viable Cohort (MVC)/Non-MVC to M10 Ready/M11 Ready/Not M11 Ready as well as reflecting the approval of the Smart Exemption and updates to the Legacy Arrangement assurance.

Annex 2 was updated to reflect the removal of the Central Switching Service (CSS) simulator from the Qualification Testing Framework. 

The updated artefacts were approved at the Qualification Advisory Group (QAG) on Thursday 19 June 2025, Retail Energy Code (REC) Performance Assurance Board (PAB) on Tuesday 24 June 2025 and Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) PAB on Thursday 26 June 2025.

You can view the baselined artefact in the Qualification Approach & Plan: Annex 2 library below. 

Qualification Approach & Plan Annex 3

The Programme and Code Bodies published the QA&P Annex 3: New Entrant Non-Systems Integration Testing (SIT) Licensed Distribution System Operator (LDSO) (Post M10) MHHS Qualification Testing Approach for industry consultation.

This document, which you can view in the in the Annex 3 library below, set out the testing framework, objectives and approach to Non-SIT LDSO Qualification Testing during the Qualification Waves for Non-SIT LDSO Qualification Testing participants who chose to Qualify through the Non-SIT route, to operate in the MHHS market post-M10 but before M14.

Please note that any new entrant LDSOs who intended to operate in the market at M10 should have followed the approach set out in the QA&P Annex 1: Non-SIT LDSO MHHS Qualification Testing Approach.

This consultation closed on Thursday 6 February 2025. Thank you to all participants who submitted comments or confirmed review.

The Programme and Code Bodies reviewed and responded to all participant feedback. An update was given at the Qualification Working Group (QWG) on 11 March 2025, followed by approval of the updated document at the Qualification Advisory Group (QAG) on 20 March 2025, and the Retail Energy Code (REC) and Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) Performance Assurance Boards (PABs) on 25 and 27 March 2025, respectively. 

Non-SIT Participant Qualification Journeys and Qualification Approach & Plan v5.2 Plans on a Page (PoaP)

The Code Bodies created a series of PoaPs that showed the Non-Systems Integration Testing (SIT) Supplier, Agent and new entrant Licensed Distribution System Operator (LDSO) Waves 1-4 Qualification Journeys, running from the Pre-Integration Testing (PIT) Requirements to Test Traceability Matrix (RTTM) submission through to Service Activation.

You can view these below: 

Non-SIT Participant Qualification Journeys and Qualification Approach & Plan v5.2 PoaPs v2.0.pdf

The PoaPs were uplifted to ensure that they aligned to the Qualification Approach & Plan (QA&P) Annex C v5.2 and the MHHS Programme Plan v6.42. They were updated to show that the Qualification Testing (QT) Execution Window included the submission of participant's Test Completion Report (TCR).

If you have any questions, please email the Code Bodies at MHHSQualification@elexon.co.uk