An online portal for a one-off £400 payment to help with energy bills is now open and accepting applications from households across Scotland, England and Wales. The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) had previously only been available for a limited number of households in certain council areas but is now open to all eligible claimants nationwide - several days ahead of the planned launch on February 27.
The non-repayable lump sum will be delivered by local authorities and aims to provide financial support to around 900,000 households without a direct relationship with a domestic electricity supplier. This includes people who live in park homes, houseboats, off-grid and care homes, or those paying their energy bills as part of an all-inclusive rental agreement with their landlord.
The portal on GOV.UK offers clear guidance on eligibility, who should apply, who cannot claim and details you need before filling in the short online form.
Most households in Scotland, England and Wales get a £400 discount on their energy bills automatically. This has been paid as a monthly discount on electricity accounts since October and is worth £66 or £67 per month until the scheme ends in March.
Those on a traditional prepayment meter receive the discount by email or post which has to be manually added to a top-card or key at PayPoint stores.
However, in some cases, you do not get the discount automatically, for example if you:
- pay for energy through a landlord, housing manager or site owner
- live in a park home, houseboat or off the electricity grid
The online portal is the only way for people who fall into these categories to apply for the £400 payment which will be processed and delivered by their local council.
The guidance states that you can only make one application per household.
Eligible homes
You may be eligible to apply if your main home is:
- a residential park home
- on a boat on a permanent residential mooring
- on a permanent Gypsy and Traveller site
- part of a heat network without an electricity meter
- in social or private rented accommodation which has a business energy connection or a communal electricity supply
- off the mains electricity or gas grid
- in a care home or assisted living facility and you pay for some or all of your care
- in a separate domestic home within a non-domestic property (such as a farmhouse or a flat above a shop)
Who should apply
The guidance on GOV.UK states that you can apply if:
- you pay for the energy your household uses
- you’re applying for your main, permanent home
- you have a fixed address in Scotland, England or Wales
Who cannot apply
You do not need to apply if you or your landlord:
- has a domestic energy meter
- pay your bills directly to an energy supplier
You cannot apply if you’ve already had any of the £66 or £67 Energy Bills Support Scheme payments.
You also cannot apply for a discount if you live:
- in purpose-built student accommodation
- in a care home and do not pay any of your fees
- on a boat with a continuous cruising licence
- on a non-permanent caravan or mobile home site
Before you start the online application
You will need:
- an email address and phone number (if you have one)
- your bank account details (a UK current account in your name)
If you are not registered for Council Tax
You will need to upload proof of address (such as a bank statement or tenancy agreement) as part of your application.
If you live in a care home
You will also need to upload either:
- an invoice for your care home fees from the past 3 months
- an official document from the care home including your name and address, a funding statement and the name and address of the care home
Check your eligibility and apply online
The application is now open for people to apply online or by phone on 0808 175 3287.
What else you need to know
After you submit your claim, your local council will check that you live at the address you applied for.
You will be told about the progress of your application by email or letter - you should get a response within four weeks.
If you’re eligible, your council will arrange a one-off payment and you do not need to repay this money.
Other ways to apply
If you cannot apply online, call the helpline on 0808 175 3287. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Full details on the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding can be found on GOV.UK here.
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