Energy bill support: Councils urge households to check before deadline
Tenants could be eligible for hundreds of pounds in Government grants to help cover their energy costs – but must check before the 31 May deadline.
Applications to the Government’s Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) Alternative Funding and Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) Alternative Funding grants close at the end of the month, and could allow households to claim £400 and £200 respectively.
The schemes were introduced to support those who did not automatically receive the energy discounts delivered nationally over the second half of 2022. These were discounts applied by energy companies to household bills for qualifying homes. The EBSS and AFP Alternative Funding is designed to support those that were not included in this first round of funding.
The EBSS Alternative Funding is for households that do not pay their electricity supplier directly, for example through a landlord, housing manager or site owner. This support is £400, paid directly to you by the government.
The AFP Alternative Funding is for households that use alternative fuels to mains gas for heating, such as tank or bottled gas, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), heating oil, wood or other solid fuel. This support is £200 also paid directly to you by the Government.
A Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council spokesperson said:
Households could receive as much as £600 towards their fuel and energy costs. This is a huge amount of help from the Government and specifically targeted at those who haven’t received the help others have had automatically.
The online applications on the Government website are quick and have a full list of everyone that is eligible to receive this support. As long as your application is made before 31 May this payment can be made to you, so please check before this funding closes.”
If you pay your energy supplier directly and think you have not received a payment through the original Energy Bill Support Scheme or Alternative Fuel Payment, please contact your electricity supplier before making an application to these alternative funds.
How can households apply for this funding?
For the EBSS Alternative Funding, visit the GOV.UK website and search 'Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically'.
For the AFP Alternative Funding, visit the GOV.UK website and search 'Apply for alternative fuel bill support if you do not get it automatically'.
Further information about who is eligible is available on these webpages. If you are not able to access online services, please phone the government's helpline on 0808 175 3287. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Only the applications for these funds need to be made before the May 31 deadline – payments may be made after the deadline and it may take up to six weeks for AFP Alternative Funding payments to be made.