Discounts for Fuel Bills

£400 Energy Bill Support Scheme 

The Energy Bill Support Scheme is a £400 rebate on electricity bills for every household in the UK. You do not need to do anything to receive this rebate. It will be paid automatically from your supplier into your electricity account.

It will be paid in 6 separate monthly instalments, starting in October 2022. If you are a prepayment customer, then you may be sent vouchers to use to top up your meter with.

For more information, please visit the Energy Bills Support Scheme webpage.

Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding

The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) is providing support of £400 for energy bills for households in England, Scotland, and Wales, without a direct relationship to a domestic electricity supplier. This support is provided by His Majesty’s Government and is delivered by local authorities. The scheme is now open to all eligible households across Great Britain until 31 May 2023.

Eligibility:

Subject to applications meeting the eligibility criteria, people who will be able to receive support
under EBSS AF include:

• care home residents and others in care facilities/sheltered accommodation (wholly or partly self-funded)
• park home residents, houseboats, and caravans that can provide proof of address
• social and private tenants who pay for energy through a landlord, on a commercial supply
• homes on a heat network/private wire
• off-grid homes
• farmhouses used for wholly domestic purposes

How to apply:

Applications are made directly to His Majesty’s Government, not to or via Local Authorities. If you do not have online access, you can apply via a contact centre on 08081753287, where a representative will guide you through the application process.

Once you have applied, your application will be processed and verified. After this if your application is successful, your details will be shared with local authorities, who will deliver the one-off, non-repayable support. The payment will be made directly into your bank account in a single instalment.

Further information can be found on GOV.UK - Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically.

Alternative Fuel Payment Alternative Funding

Most households will automatically get a £200 Alternative Fuels Payment (AFP) if you:

• use alternative fuels for most of your heating, such as liquid petroleum gas (LPG), oil or solid fuel
• are connected to the electricity grid

If you have not received this payment automatically go to GOV.UK - Apply for alternative fuel bill support if you do not get it automatically to find out if you are eligible and how to apply.

£150 Warm Home Discount

If you are eligible for the Warm Home Discount, you'll get £150 (previously £140) off your bills in winter 2022-23. The money will not be paid to you directly – it will be added as credit to your electricity account. This usually happens between September and March.

You need to apply for the discount through your energy supplier. The discount will not affect your Winter Heating Payment or Winter Fuel Payment.

Please visit the Warm Home Discount Scheme: If you’re on a low income webpage for more information.

£50 Winter Heating Payment

This is a new benefit from the Scottish government to help those on a low income keep their homes warm in winter. It has replaced the Cold Weather Payment of £25, whenever the temperature dropped below 0 degrees Celsius for 7 consecutive days.

It is paid automatically in February to everyone eligible.

Please visit the Winter Heating Payment page on the Social Security Scotland website for more information.

£100 - £300 Winter Fuel Payment

Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free payment for households that include someone born on or before 26th September 1956. It's designed to help you cover your heating costs in winter. You could get between £100 and £300 to help with your bills.

If you have received it before, you should get your Winter Fuel Payment automatically this year.

If you claim State Pension or another social security benefit (not including Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit, Universal Credit or a deferred State Pension), you should also be paid automatically.

If you don't receive these benefits and you're eligible for Winter Fuel Payment, you might need to make a claim directly to receive your payment.

For more information, please visit the Winter Fuel Payment: Overview webpage.

Home Heating Support Fund

Homeheatingadvice.scot are working in partnership with the Scottish Government to deliver the Home Heating Support Fund for Scottish households struggling with energy costs.

The fund will provide financial relief to energy consumers who are experiencing significant financial hardship and support to households regardless of the fuel or payment method used. The project is inclusive of:

• users of prepayment meters
• district heating networks, and
• unregulated fuels.

Please visit the links below for more information:

How to Apply for Funding – Household Application