Tomorrow is the last day for thousands of households to claim up to £600 in free cash to help towards their energy bills.
Families living in park homes, houseboats, who pay their landlord directly for their energy or who use alternative fuels for most of their heating have until May 31 to apply for any money they did not receive automatically.
Both schemes were part of a range of cost of living support announced by the Government last year to help families cope with rising energy bills. Most households were paid £400 directly in six payments of £66 or £67 from October to March through the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS). These payments were made automatically to the vast majority of families.
Read more: New Ofgem price cap will save the average family just £2 a month from July
However, some households who had no relationship with an electricity company couldn’t receive this help directly and have until tomorrow to apply for help. Here's what you need to know:
The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF)
EBSS AF opened in February and offers £400 to those who don’t have a direct relationship with a domestic electricity supplier, usually because they pay for their fuel through a third party such as a site owner, landlord or housing manager. Typically, this scheme would include farmers, park home residents, houseboats on a fixed mooring and those who live in partly or wholly self-funded care homes. It also applies to families who live off-grid. Figures released earlier this month showed that 3,830 customers in the North East have got their applications in so far. You can check if you are eligible and apply here. There is also a helpline on 0808 175 3287.
Around 900,000 UK households are entitled to receive the money. If you’re not registered for council tax you’ll need to upload proof of your address, like a bank statement or tenancy agreement as part of your application and if you live in a care home you’ll also need to upload a care home invoice that's less than three months old or an official document from your care home. It will need to include your name and address, a funding statement and the name and address of your care home.
Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP)
People who use alternative fuels – such as heating oil, LPG or biomass – to heat their homes should have received an extra £200 via their electricity supplier in February, but you can apply if you couldn’t receive the support automatically. Households can get more details and apply via GOV.UK or contact a dedicated customer helpline on 0808 175 3943. If someone has previously applied and is unsure why their application has not been successful, they can also contact the helpline.
Two million people were eligible for the money, but it is thought that thousands still need to apply for the cash, which will be credited directly to your bank account. The scheme was due to close by February but was extended by three months to May 31, at means if you are eligible and haven't yet applied, you have just hours left to do so.
The EBBS finished in March for families who were paid automatically, although many people took to social media under the impression that the £67 per month payment, which formed the six instalments of the £400 EBSS, was continuing beyond March and blamed 'confusing' reports after Jeremy Hunt's Spring Budget in March.
Some even claimed that they had received letters or emails from their energy company confirming that the support is continuing until the end of June, but their hopes were dashed when others told them that the 'support' referred to is the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) scheme, which remained at £2,500 in the Spring Budgetrather than increasing to £3,000 as originally planned.
Ofgem announced a new price cap of £2,074 last week, effective from July 1, which is lower than the EPG.
Now read:
- Energy bills could rise £30 for households to cover cost of customers who avoid paying
- Warning as families face bills to replace broken smart meter displays
- Energy supplier to wipe debts after payment glitch left customers with shock bills
- Save more than £100 by changing the way you pay your energy bill
- Warning that prepay energy customers need to act soon to get new price cap prices
