Britons heating homes without gas get longer to claim £200 Government energy bill help
Britons who heat homes without gas will have longer time after extension to claim £200 help with government energy bills
- A scheme to pay off homes from the gas network has been extended by the government
- The extension gives the British a longer period to claim energy bills
- But the £200 on offer is only half of what is offered to homes that use gas for heating
Households that don’t use gas to heat their homes now have longer time to get £200 of utility bill help from the government.
The Government’s Alternative Fuel Payment Scheme offers £200 payments to households using fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas, wood, biomass boilers and other alternative fuels.
The aim is to help Britons with the high heating costs of their homes.
Most eligible households get the £200 automatically, because they have a contract with a domestic electricity supplier.
Homes without this must apply for £200.
Warming up: Government has rolled back point at which households can claim £200 to help with high energy costs
For those who need to apply, the government has asked applicants to prove they have purchased alternative fuel from September 2022.
That point has been pushed back to June 2022 today to avoid penalizing households that stocked up on fuel long before winter.
To qualify, your primary residence must be one of the following:
- In a residential park house
- On a boat on a fixed residential jetty
- On a permanent gypsy or traveler site
- In social or private rental homes with business energy or a communal electricity supply
- From the electricity or gas network
- Part of a commercial property (such as a farm or a flat above a shop)
You can apply for the £200 online.
However, that £200 is only half of the £400 paid to households using gas and electricity to heat their properties.
Energy, Consumer and Affordability Minister Amanda Solloway said: ‘Today we have taken it a step further in expanding our support to users of fuel oil, LPG, biomass and more, to ensure that everyone who needs help with bills has access until It.
‘Most will have gotten this automatically, but for those who need to apply – if you haven’t already, I urge you to submit your application to get the £200 support you’re entitled to. ‘
Households have until May 2023 to apply for the £200.
What other government energy assistance is available?
The government has three schemes that offer UK households discounts on energy bills.
The most important was the energy bill support scheme, which expired in March. This paid £400 in energy bill discounts over six months.
That money was paid out to households that managed their own energy meters.
For unmetered households, such as those in park homes and residences, the government has launched the alternative financing for utility bills scheme, which is still running and offers £400.
Finally, there is the Alternative Fuel Reimbursement, which goes out to households that heat their homes without using gas – and that is what has expanded today.