Martin Lewis has given an update for people still awaiting financial support to heat their homes this winter. The financial journalist gave the update on Thursday to thousands of people in the UK on non-mains gas who heat their homes by alternative methods such as heating oil, LPG boiler, and biomass boiler.
The UK Government originally announced this group would receive a £100 payment to help them cope with increased fuel costs this winter with the cost of gas and electric almost double what it was this time last year. But this was doubled to £200 by chancellor Jeremy Hunt in his autumn statement in November.
While the news was welcomed by many further details of when and how this payment would be given had not been revealed despite energy customers using meters beginning to receive their £400 discount in six instalments from October. Find out how you receive your discount depending on how you pay your bills here.
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Speaking on Twitter on Thursday Mr Lewis said he had received an update on the payment – and it isn't good news for heating oil and LPG customers as he said the money is not expected to be arrive until the new year. He said: "We've a heating oil/LPG £200 update... The key is the last two words.
"Vast majority of eligible households in GB will receive payment automatically via their electricity supplier with no need to take any action, this payment will be made 'as soon as possible in the new year'." A full update on the MoneySavingExpert website on Friday confirmed the news from the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) that the payment would come next year.
How will I get the money?
You won't have to apply to get the money if you're eligible as you should receive it automatically via your electricity supplier. MoneySavingExpert says it is likely to come as bill credit on your electricity bill. BEIS said it was "working at pace with stakeholders to identify the best method of identifying eligible customers and making payments to them in a way which is as easy as possible".
A UK Government spokesman told the site: ""The vast majority of alternative fuel payments eligible households in Great Britain will receive payment automatically via their electricity supplier with no need to take any action and this payment will be made as soon as possible in the New Year." You can get all the latest money-saving news straight to your inbox by signing up for our money newsletter here.
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