Council tax support with rising energy costs

Energy Bills Support Scheme - Alternative Funding (EBSS-AF)

On 19 December 2022 the Government published an update on the above scheme.

This is aimed at those not benefiting from the Government Energy Support scheme (£400 reduction on electricity bills). These residents live in households with no domestic electricity meter or do not have a direct relationship with an energy supplier.  

The Government have informed us that they will be opening an application process for this. Councils are then being asked to make the £400 support payments to applicants through their bank accounts once appropriate checks have been made.

We are waiting for guidance on this, however, the application portal for the £400 is due to open in January on the Government's website

• GOV.UK: Help for Households - Get government cost of living support

There will be a government helpline for those without online access.

Further information about the scheme is can also be found on the goverment website

• GOV.UK: Vital help with energy bills on the way for millions more homes

It is expected that the guidance will confirm the following people as potentially eligible

• care home residents
• residents of park homes
• 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

Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP)

The additional £200 for those who do not heat their homes with gas and instead use oil, solid fuel, biomass or bottled gas named the Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) will be available in February.

The Government have confirmed that most households eligible for AFP support will receive payment automatically via their electricity supplier in February, with no further action needed.

Those households who will need to apply for the AFP, for example because they do not have a relationship with an electricity supplier, will be able to do so in February, through the same GOV.UK portal as the EBSS Alternative Funding scheme.

The Government has advised that potentially eligible households should not contact the Council until we receive further instructions on how the EBSS-AF and AFP scheme payments will be administered.