Qualification Assessment Document
All Systems Integration Testing (SIT) and Non-SIT participants that are planning to Qualify in the MHHS arrangements should review and provide comments on this document.
The Qualification Assessment Document (QAD) sets out the information and evidence that all Suppliers, Supplier Agents, Meter Equipment Managers (MEMs), and Licensed Distribution System Operators (LDSOs) are required to provide to the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) and Retail Energy Code (REC) Code Bodies so that they can be MHHS Qualified to operate the new arrangements.
The QAD has been developed through discussions with the MHHS Qualification Working Group (QWG).
Qualification Assessment Document (QAD)
Ofgem approved the Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) Modification, P476 Exemption from MHHS Requirements for Smart Meter Segment (SMS) Supplier Qualification on 23 January 2025.
P476 sought to allow the BSC Performance Assurance Board (PAB) to have the authority to exempt Suppliers from Smart Segment Qualification obligations, allowing Suppliers operating in the advanced market segment that do not have the systems, processes or controls in place to meet these obligations to be exempted from Design, Test and Build.
A paper was taken to the Retail Energy Code (REC) Performance Assurance Board in February 2025 to approve the principle that a Supplier may be granted a derogation on obligations around Smart Segment Meter Points when they complete MHHS Qualification with an approved exemption.
Following Ofgem’s approval of BSC Modification P476, the Code Bodies updated Section 5.1.1 of the Qualification Assessment Document (QAD), setting out additional criteria and expectations for participants that are seeking a SMS exemption. This includes asking Suppliers to provide detail on the controls they have in place to identify, prevent the onboarding and migration, and de-register any SMS Meter Points in their QAD Submissions.
Please note that the updates only apply to participants seeking a Smart Meter Segment exemption and do not impact Systems Integration Testing (SIT) participants or Non-SIT Licensed Distribution System Operators (LDSOs).
The Code Bodies published the updated QAD for industry consultation, which closed on Wednesday 26 February 2025. Thank you to all participants who submitted comments or confirmed review of the artefacts.
The Code Bodies have 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.
You can view the latest versions (in PDF and Word format) of QAD v5.0 below:
Qualification Assessment Document - PDF version
Qualification Assessment Document - Word version
Smart Market Segment (SMS) Exemption
As discussed at QWG on Tuesday 11 March 2025, the Code Bodies invited participants to apply for the Smart Market Segment (SMS) Exemption.
We requested that, if you intend to apply for this exemption, to please return a completed copy of the Intention to Apply Exemption Letter, available below, to the Code Bodies.
Intention to Apply Exemption Letter
The Code Bodies also created an Exemption Process for Smart Market Segment Guidance document that set out further details on the timescales and process steps for the exemption application. You can view this below:
Completing the QAD
To support efficient review of information and evidence from parties, there are two formal QAD submission stages. The timeframes for submission are set out in Appendix C of the Qualification Approach & Plan (QA&P), which you can view on the Qualification Approach and Plan page of this website.
Please note that although we have provided a PDF version of the QAD, the format of the QAD submission will be via the QAD Portal. We've also provided a Word version so that participants can prepare and draft their responses ahead of accessing the QAD Portal.
All Non-Systems Integration Testing (SIT) Suppliers & Agents will be onboarded to the QAD Portal in the two weeks before the opening of their Initial QAD submission window, which will be dictated by participants allocated Qualification Wave.
The Code Bodies and Data Integration Platform (DIP) Manager have published Qualification Assessment Document (QAD) Guidance to support participants to prepare their QAD submissions. This document includes guidance on the content of the QAD, as well as the QAD Portal, and you can view the guidance document below:
Qualification Assessment Document Guidance v1.2
The Code Bodies and DIP Manager will regularly update the guidance to ensure that frequently asked questions and lessons learnt are captured and published as participants progress through Qualification.
For further guidance, please also visit the MHHS Webinars and Open Days page of this website for the QAD webinar slides and recordings that took place last year.
You can view the Q&A document that was developed following these webinars below:
Qualification Assessment Document Webinars Q&A
The Code Bodies issued a feedback questionnaire to all SIT participants and facilitated a feedback session with all Non-SIT Licensed Distribution System Operators (LDSOs) in April 2025 to better understand and capture participant feedback regarding the Initial QAD submission process.
The Code Bodies have collated and responded to all the feedback received, which you can view in the document below:
Initial QAD Submissions Participant Feedback Comments Log
The Code Bodies are assessing, prioritising and implementing the feedback to enhance the Final QAD submission process for SIT participants and LDSOs, as well as the Initial QAD submission process for Non-SIT Suppliers and Agents.
If you have any questions about the QAD, please email the Code Bodies and DIP Manager at MHHSQualification@elexon.co.uk
Self-Qualification Assessment Document (SQAD)
The Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) Self-Qualification Assessment Document (SQAD) is for New Entrants only who are not an existing Balancing & Settlement Code (BSC) Party or Party Agent under Section J of the BSC.
Following approval of the QAD at the Retail Energy Code (REC) Performance Assurance Board (PAB) on 17 December 2024, and at the Qualification Advisory Group (QAG) and BSC PAB on 19 December 2024, the SQAD has been updated to ensure alignment with the QAD.
You can view the baselined version 2.0 of the SQAD below, in both Word and PDF formats:
