The purpose of MHHS Qualification is to confirm that Parties are ready to operate under the required industry processes and standards for the new MHHS arrangements. All REC Parties wanting to operate in the new market arrangements will need to qualify through MHHS Qualification. 

The REC and BSC Code Bodies are working together to prepare for MHHS Qualification and have developed an initial iteration of the MHHS Qualification Approach and Plan (QA&P). This document sets out the high-level approach to REC and BSC MHHS Qualification and is available via the MHHS Programme website on the Qualification section of the Testing pages. 

To support the Qualification process, all participants wanting to operate in the new market arrangements will need to complete a Qualification Assessment Document (QAD), providing REC and BSC Code Bodies with information regarding their MHHS delivery (including evidence from relevant test phases). The Code Bodies will use the information in the QAD to assess whether Parties have provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate they have the appropriate systems, processes and controls in place to meet the MHHS requirements as outlined in the respective Codes.

All Distribution Network Operators are expected to be Qualified ahead of the migration period commencing. Qualification of Suppliers and Metering Equipment Managers will be delivered through multiple tranches, starting before migration commences, and continuing through live operations.

• Suppliers are not able to migrate Metering Points to the new MHHS arrangements until they are MHHS Qualified
• Metering Equipment Managers cannot be appointed to MHHS Metering Points until they are MHHS Qualified 

The MHHS arrangements allow for a period where ‘Reverse Migration’ is possible. This applies where a Supplier who is not yet MHHS Qualified registers a Metering Point that has already been through migration (and is being settled under MHHS arrangements). The MHHS Programme has specified a milestone (M14) part way through the MHHS migration period when all Suppliers must be MHHS Qualified. At this point Reverse Migration will cease and only Suppliers who are MHHS Qualified will be able to register Metering Points, via a Switch. This is true for all migrated or non-migrated Metering Points.

The MHHS Qualification approach will be further developed at the MHHS Programme’s monthly Qualification and E2E Sandbox Working Group (QWG), with further iterations of the Qualification Approach and Plan document expected throughout 2023 and 2024. QWG is responsible for defining the approach to Qualification Testing and characterising the processes around how Parties will qualify under MHHS. The outputs from QWG will inform Parties of the qualification testing Parties are required to undertake. If you are interested in joining this Working Group, please contact PMO@mhhsprogramme.co.uk.