Off-grid energy users waiting on the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment have started to receive the one-off lump sum from the UK Government, according to consumer expert, Martin Lewis.
During the latest edition of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on STV, the financial guru told viewers that the “long-promised” payments started earlier this week and should be completed by the end of this month. The one-off payment is aimed at helping ease the cost of soaring heating bills for around two million homes across Great Britain who do not use mains gas and includes those using oil, coal, LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) and biomass.
Martin explained that payments started being made on Monday, February 6 automatically through household electricity suppliers. However he said that households fully off grid, who do not have an electricity connection, will need to apply for the £200 later this month - but couldn’t offer any more details on it at this time.
The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com also said that people on prepayment will receive vouchers to redeem.
He explained that the UK Government will send them out by email, post or by text message with more information about it.
Martin also warned: “I have to say I’m suspicious that some people may not get this because they [UK Government] don’t have the details of who is on heating oil or LPG.”
However, he added: “When we get to the end of February, if you haven’t got it, let me know and I will try and do something more on it and I’ll talk to you more about it at the time.”
£400 one-off energy payment
Martin also shared the latest update for people living in park homes and those who do not pay directly for their domestic energy supply.
Martin said: “You can apply for the £400 from the 27th of February online and by phone, hopefully that date will now stick.”
Applications will be made through a dedicated portal on GOV.UK - which has not gone live yet - and payments will be delivered by local authorities across Scotland, England and Wales.
This payment is expected to help around 900,000 households this winter.
We have also been covering this as new information is updated and on the Daily Record Money Saving Scotland Facebook group - the latest update can be found here.
Who can claim the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding?
Online applications are scheduled to open on February 27 for households in Scotland, England and Wales who are eligible for the £400 one-off payment to submit their details.
Payments to households that meet the eligibility criteria - including people who get their energy through a commercial contract or who are off-grid - will be made by local authorities in Great Britain.
The UK Government said this is likely to include:
- care home residents
- park home residents
- tenants in certain private and social rented homes
- homes supplied via private wires
- residents of caravans and houseboats on registered sites
- farmers living in domestic farmhouses
- off-grid households
Once households have applied to receive support and their applications have been processed and verified, eligible applicants' details will be shared with local authorities who will deliver the one-off, non-repayable support "this winter".
Applicants will only be able to submit information through the GOV.UK portal when it opens this month and should not contact their local authority directly as they will not be able to offer any more information.
The UK Government also said that 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.
To keep up to date with the latest cost of living news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out four times each week - sign up here.
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