UK Government announces delay to Alternative Funding for Energy Bills Support Scheme

The Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding scheme, designed to support households in Great Britain who do not have a direct relationship with a domestic electricity supplier, has been delayed until the end of February. It was initially anticipated that the scheme would be launched in January 2023 and pilot schemes have been underway in four local authorities. However, it has since been confirmed that eligible households will be able to apply from Monday 27 February (1) via an online portal. The scheme will be administered by local authorities and a dedicated customer helpline will also be made available to assist those without online access.  

It has also been confirmed that the Alternative Fuel Payments scheme, which will offer £200 to off-grid households who make use of alternative fuels such as biomass, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or heating oil, will be launched next week with the vast majority of eligible households to receive this automatically from Monday 6 February (2). Again, there may be a small proportion of households who will need to apply for the AFP, for example because they do not have a relationship with an electricity supplier. 

Further details are expected to be published shortly on the UK Government website.