900,000 more households benefit from £400 energy bill support

Households without a direct relationship to an electricity supplier, such as those living in park homes and care homes, can now apply via a secure online portal to receive the support as a one-off, non-repayable lump sum under the ‘alternative funding’ route of the government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS AF). For those without online access, a dedicated customer helpline is available to assist eligible customers.

To ensure people feel the benefit from 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 that get their energy through a commercial contract or who are off-grid.

The launch of the portal follows a successful pilot scheme with local authorities in England, Scotland, and Wales 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 across England, Scotland, and Wales, which 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.