North East families living in rural County Durham and Northumberland who have no mains gas will be receiving an additional £200 cost of living payment in the new year.
The Alternative Fuel Payment, which will be given to up to four million households who rely on fuels such as heating oil or LPG, will be made "as soon as possible in the New Year", according to the Government. The £200 payment is in addition to the £400 energy bill support scheme all households with an electricity supply get.
The payment was initially to be £100, but it was announced in the Autumn Statement it would be doubled to £200. If you're eligible for the payment, you should get the money automatically from your electricity supplier, most likely as a bill credit on your electricity bill. Because there is no register of people who do not use mains gas for their heating, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said it was "working at pace with stakeholders to identify the best method of identifying eligible customers and making payments to them in a way which is as easy as possible".
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A Government spokesperson told Moneysavingexpert.com : "We recognise people are struggling with the rising cost of living, including those who use heating oil and fuels other than gas to warm their homes. That is why we have increased the Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) to £200 and are committed to delivering this to customers as soon as possible. Those who do not have a relationship with an electricity supplier will receive payment through the AFP Alternative Fund and we will confirm details of when this will be made shortly."
A small number of households won't get the payment automatically and will have to apply to get the money, although details of how this will work haven't been announced. BEIS has said it will appoint a designated body to provide the grant to these households.
The Government spokesperson said: "The vast majority of Alternative Fuel Payments eligible households in Great Britain will receive payment automatically via their electricity supplier with no need to take any action, and this payment will be made as soon as possible in the New Year."
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