Energy Bill Support Scheme (Alternative Funding)

Are you eligible for new energy bills support?

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will work in partnership with Local authorities across Great Britain to deliver the Energy Bill Support Scheme (Alternative Funding) for help with consumers' energy bills.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding scheme launched nationally on 27 February 2023.

Who is the scheme for and why?

The majority of households are already receiving the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) to help with the cost of their energy bills. They will be receiving this in the form of six instalments, paid through their electricity supplier from October 2022 through to March 2023. These six payments will total £400.

Councils are now working with The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to contact and make payments of £400 to those households including vulnerable residents who have missed out on this funding because they:

  • pay for energy through a landlord, housing manager or site owner.
  • live in a park home, houseboat or off the electricity grid.

This may include:

  • care homes.

  • park homes.
  • caravan parks.
  • moorings.
  • some tenants of private and social rented homes.
  • homes on a private electricity supply.
  • residents of caravans and houseboats on registered sites.
  • residents placed in temporary accommodation by the Local Authority.
  • farmers living in domestic farmhouses.
  • other off-grid households.

How people apply

People should visit the Government website GOV.UK - Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically for more details. BEIS will then carry out some initial eligibility checks before passing applications back to us to complete the verification and process. Payments will then be made within 30 working days. Applications will close on 31 May 2023.

Other ways to apply

If you cannot apply online, or you need help and support regarding your application, call the Government helpline: Telephone: 0808 175 3287 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

Alternative Fuel Payment – Alternative Funding

The government launched the Alternative Fuel Payment – Alternative Funding scheme on 6 March 2023.

Under the Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP), households that use alternative fuels to the gas grid as their main source of heating, can receive a one of payment of £200. This includes households that use tank or bottled gas, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), heating oil, wood or other solid fuel.

The money is intended to ensure that households using alternative fuels are not left with a higher percentage increase to their heating costs compared to those using mains gas who are supported by the Energy Price Guarantee.

Most households on alternative fuels will have already received this payment through their electricity supplier in February. There are a small number of households that don’t have a direct contract with an electricity supplier as so they will need to make a claim under the AFP Alternative Funding which has been launched by government.

Who is it for?

The government has advised that provided they can provide sufficient proof of address, receipt of fuel costs, and are not otherwise ineligible, households eligible for AFP Alternative Fund may include:

  • park home residents
  • housing association, social and private tenants, and leaseholders, supplied via a landlord with a commercial meter
  • households in house boats on residential moorings
  • households on a private electricity network, for example those supplied by a heat network
  • off-grid households
  • traveller households on authorised sites
  • households in temporary or supported accommodation.

Can residents qualify for this and the Energy Bills Support Scheme?

Yes, although if they aren’t receiving the money for the schemes automatically, then 
they will need to submit separate claims.

How do people make a claim for AFP Alternative Funding?

People will need to submit a claim on GOV.UK - Apply for alternative fuel bill support if you do not get it automatically.

The government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will then carry out checks to confirm that the households isn’t on the gas grid and hasn’t received a payment through their electricity supplier. Anglia Revenues Partnership will then complete final checks and make payments. The government advise that households should hear about the progress of their application by letter or email within six weeks.

Applications will close on 31 May 2023.

There is also a government helpline open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday for anyone who requires help and support to make a claim or progress a claim. The helpline number is 0808 175 3287.

This page will be updated when more information is available on both the Alternative Funding Scheme and the Alternative Fuel Payment.

More information can be found on GOV.UK - Vital help with energy bills on the way for millions more homes across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.