Almost a million households who missed out on the £400 energy bills discount can now apply for the same level support from today.
The application portal is for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) scheme and is targeted at those who do not have a direct relationship with a domestic electricity supplier.
The Government says around 900,000 people can receive this round of cost of living help.
This includes people who live in park homes, houseboats, off-grid and care homes, or those who have their electricity supplied by a commercial electricity meter, as the property will not have already received the automatic payments.
The original rollout start date of the application process was expected to come by February 27.
Once the application has been submitted, your local council will contact you within six weeks to give you an update on its progress.
The £400 payment portal was due to open last month, but following a pilot launch in a limited number of local council areas, it was decided to delay the nationwide rollout.
Energy Minister Graham Stuart told MPs about the revised opening date in the House of Commons at the end of January.
The Energy Minister blamed the delay on the "complicated" nature of the application process.
He told MPs: “The EBSS alternative funding sounds simple, but it is not. It is a novel scheme with ambitious timescales. It is a complex cohort with a range of different energy arrangements, including off-grid, direct to commercial and via intermediaries."
How to apply
To get the £400 energy support cash, you will need to make an application through GOV.UK here, or you can apply over the phone by calling the alternative funding helpline on 0808 175 3287.
These phone lines are open from 8am to 6pm from Monday to Friday.
Before you start your application you will need:
- an email address and phone number (if you have one)
- your bank account details (a UK current account in your name)
The Government also said you will need to have proof of address if you are not registered for council tax, such as a bank statement or tenancy agreement.
You will also need to add extra to your application if you live in a care home.
The Government website also highlights who cannot apply for this money, and includes those who have a domestic energy meter or pays their bills directly to an energy supplier.
You also cannot apply for the cash if you have already received money through the current Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Others who cannot get the money include:
- in purpose-built student accommodation
- in a care home and do not pay any of your fees
- on a boat with a continuous cruising licence (currently under review)
- on a non-permanent caravan or mobile home site (currently under review)
- in accommodation provided by your employer (such as seasonal workers, ‘service occupiers’, security guards, building caretakers)
- in a building where you are acting as a property guardian
- in business premises, such as a pub or hotel, where your address is the same as the business address
