Energy bills support for off-grid households

The Government has opened online application portals for its Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding and Alternative Fuel Payments for those who do not receive the energy discount automatically.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme is a £400 discount on energy bills that most households have received automatically as a discount on their bills though their electricity provider. The Alternative Fuel Payment is a £200 payment for households that do not use mains gas and instead use an alternative such as LPG or biomass. Most eligible households will also have received the Alternative Fuel Payment automatically via their electricity provider.

Some households will not have received these payments automatically because they do not have a direct relationship to an electricity provider. These households may include park home and care home residents as well as some private and social tenants.

If households do not have a direct relationship to an electricity provider, they will need to make an application through GOV.UK in order to receive their energy bills support payments.

You can search “apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically” in the GOV.UK search bar or through another online search engine. You will also be able to view eligibility criteria this way before completing an application.

Remember, you will not be contacted and asked to provide bank details or personal information before making your initial application for either of these payments.  Be scam aware and do not share this information with anybody you are not expecting contact from.