Households without a direct relationship to a domestic electricity supplier will be able to apply for Government support with their energy bills under the ‘alternative funding’ route of the Government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS AF).
With Government energy bill support covering roughly half of typical winter bills ministers are urging over 900,000 households eligible for the £400 lump sum to apply as soon as possible.
The new portal can be accessed here and for those without online access the contact centre helpline can be reached on 0808 175 3287 where a representative will guide them through the application process. The helpline is open 8am to 6pm on Monday to Friday.
To ensure people feel the benefit of this support as quickly as possible the payment will be provided directly into people’s bank accounts. Over £7.2 billion has been provided so far to 97 per cent of households across England, Scotland and Wales through monthly instalments which most households receive automatically in the same way they pay these bills.
The alternative funding route is designed to make sure the same level of support reaches those without a direct relationship to an electricity supplier. It’s also available for households who get their energy through a commercial contract or those off-grid.
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, said “I am pleased that people without a direct relationship to an electricity supplier can now receive support with their bills.
“I have raised this issue several times with ministers and I have kept park home residents in Harrogate and Knaresborough informed every step of the way. I encourage everyone who couldn’t get their EBSS discounts in the regular way to apply via the new scheme and to submit their application as soon as possible.”
The launch of the portal follows a successful pilot scheme with local authorities to refine the process making sure the system can deliver support in a robust, secure and efficient manner.
Once customers have applied to receive energy support and their applications have been processed and verified, eligible customers’ details will be shared with Local Authorities who will deliver the support in one lump sum. Local authorities may request additional information to assist their verification process – but only once an application has been made via the secure portal or helpline. Applicants will only be able to submit information through these channels and should not contact their local authority.
The exact date that an eligible household will receive support will depend on when the application is made and when the payment can be processed by the relevant local authority.
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