More residents will be able to receive £400 of Government support for their energy bills.
The Government portal for the Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Fund opened for applications.
This scheme is open for households who aren’t already receiving an automatic discount on their bills because they don’t have a direct relationship to an electricity supplier, such as residents of park homes, homes on heat networks, partially or wholly funded care home residents and more.
This payment will not be automatic, so residents who think they are eligible should apply via a secure online portal as soon as possible to receive the support. Once approved, eligible residents will receive a £400 one-off lump sum payment directly into their bank account, which does not need to be repaid.
Any residents who think that this applies to them can visit the Government’s website and fill in a short form to start the process at: www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic.
Residents without internet access, or who cannot complete the form for any other reason can call a dedicated helpline on 0808 175 3287 and an operator will help with filling in the application. The helpline is open Monday – Friday, 8am-6pm.
I have been consistently pressing for government support to be delivered to every household. This includes residents who don’t directly have a relationship with a domestic electricity supplier, such as those in park homes or who are off the grid.
I am pleased progress has been made on supporting residents in park homes and those not directly connected to their electricity supplier with their energy bills. Now that the portal has opened, it is important that these residents apply so that they can receive the support that they are entitled to.
A similar scheme will be live by 6th March for households who use alternative fuels as their main source of heating but were unable to receive the government’s £200 Alternative Fuel Payment automatically via their electricity supplier. This includes those using heating oil, biomass and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to heat their homes. People who believe they are eligible for this scheme will need to apply though a similar GOV.UK portal when it opens shortly.
Residents are warned to stay alert to potential scams and report them. The government will never contact you directly to ask for bank details. Those needing additional help when applying for support may wish to seek assistance from a family member or trusted friend.
Residents who want to see what other support is available to help with the cost of living should visit https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/ or can get in touch with my office who will be happy to help.