The government are providing non-repayment discount schemes to help with energy payments over winter 2022 to 2023.

Energy Support Scheme

The vast majority of households are eligible for the Energy Support Scheme (EBSS) and are already automatically receiving the £400 discount.

The EBSS payment is paid to residents through a discount applied monthly to energy bills. The Energy Prices Act includes measures to make sure EBSS payments are passed on to households who pay for their energy via an intermediary such as a landlord.

Two new schemes will be available in 2023 for those households who are not entitled to the Energy Support Scheme:

Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding

Residents who weren’t eligible to receive the automatic Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) payment through their energy supplier, may be able to access some financial support after a new initiative went live on Monday 27 February 2023.

Funded by HM Government, the EBSS Alternative Funding is a one-off, £400, non-repayable discount for eligible households that are still facing increased energy costs, but haven’t received the main EBSS payment automatically to help with their bills between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023.

The EBSS Alternative Funding is intended to support those households who do not have a direct relationship to a domestic energy supplier. Some examples of eligible residents include those residents living in a park home, a care home, a houseboat or other properties that may be off the electricity grid.

Payments will be issued following an application process. Individuals will need to submit an application via gov.uk website. To apply for the EBSS Alternative Funding, please visit gov.uk website and enter “Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically” in the search bar and follow the instructions. 

All applications must be made and received via this central application route by the time this scheme closes on 31 May 2023.

If you need help with your application and/or you cannot apply online, you can contact the helpline team via the following methods.

Telephone: 0808 175 3287 (Freephone number – Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm).
Email: alternativefunding@ebss.beis.gov.uk

Alternative Fuels Payments

Residents who use alternative fuels for heating may be eligible for a one-off £200 Alternative Fuels Payment (AFP) if both the following are true:

• the household is not connected to the mains gas grid
• alternative fuels is used as the main form of heating

Residents will be eligible for this payment if the main way to heat the home uses:

• tank or bottled gas
• liquid petroleum gas (LPG)
• oil
• wood
• solid fuel

Most homes that are eligible for this payment will get it automatically as a credit on their electricity bills from February 2023.

Payments may not be received automatically if the home is either:

• in an area which is mainly connected to the gas grid
• not connected to either the gas or electricity grid

If the payment is not received automatically individuals will need to submit an application via gov.uk website. For more information or to apply for the AFP, please visit gov.uk website and enter “Alternative fuel payment” in the search bar and follow the instructions.