Martin Lewis has shared a new update for people still waiting on the £200 Alternative Fuel payment (AFP) from their energy provider. The consumer champion told listeners of his BBC radio 5 Live Podcast that automatic payments should now have been made to households with a direct electricity connection to their supplier.
Payments began on February 6 and were expected to be completed by the end of the month, however, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com explained that this may not be the case and depends on how you pay your energy bills. People who pay for their electricity by Direct Debit should have received the money in their bank account, those paying by standard credit will get it as a credit on their energy account and prepayment meter customers will receive a voucher.
Martin said: “The vast majority of eligible households using oil, coal, LPG and biomass will not need to take any action to receive the support, but a small proportion will need to apply for it.”
These households will be able to make a claim through a GOV.UK portal which is due to open next week and will include an overview of eligibility and what applicants need to do to apply for support.
Martin continued: “For those people who have electricity and then their central heating is run on an alternative fuel such as LPG or heating oil then a £200 payment should be paid through the electricity provider. For those totally off-grid then you do have to apply for the £200 payment.
“If you pay by Direct Debit, the payment will be put into your bank account, but if you pay by standard credit, you should have had £200 added to your energy account.
“People on prepayment, should have received a voucher either by text, email or post.”
He also said he will be launching a survey to see which energy firms are the “worst at getting the money across”.
He added: “I will be getting in touch with the [UK] Government to make sure that people get their money.
“Energy firms are telling people that if you haven’t got it, whether it’s in your bank account or a voucher or on your energy account, that you should go and apply from the government.
“Now the place that you would do that is the same place as the people who are off-grid apply on GOV.UK and I have had it confirmed that is the process, I would still leave it a day or too just in case your payment hasn’t come through and do check your bank account and your energy account if you’re on Direct Debit or on a classic receipt of bills afterwards before you make that application.”
In order to identify households eligible for the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment, the UK Government produced a list of eligible Meter Point Administration Numbers (MPANs) and told electricity suppliers to pay those customers.
We won’t include direct links to the application portal to help deter fraudsters, but the link to the page is on the main landing page at GOV.UK here.
To keep up to date with the latest cost of living news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, follow us on Twitter @Record_Money, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out Monday to Friday - sign up here.
READ NEXT
Check how much of the £1,350 cost of living payments you are due this year
- Specific group of people who will not receive new £301 cost of living payment due this Spring
New interactive map helps people find free warm spaces in their area just by entering postcode
DWP rule change for couples working 24 hours or more each week between them
New cost of living payment warning to people due money over next few months
