An examination of the Neutral Penetration Model 1/ne,ped scaling for its validity of spatially varying neutral sources

•EDGE2D-EIRENE simulations showed the dominant neutral source at the separatrix originates from the inner target for this specific JET H-mode plasma•JETTO-EIRENE simulations were run with fixed transport and temperature profiles investigating the role of poloidal location of the neutral source.•The 1/ne,ped scaling from the Neutral Penetration Model is observed when fueling at the OMP but not at the X-point when measuring the density profile at the OMP.•When measuring the density profile at the X-point and fueling at the X-point the 1/ne,ped scaling is observed.•Potentially this could experimentally verified if measured density profiles were remapped to a coordinate along the X-point, assuming that all neutral source enters at the X-point and the ionisation sets the density profile.