Britons heating homes without gas get longer to claim £200 Government energy bill help

Households who do not use gas to heat their homes now have longer to get £200 energy bill help from the Government.

The Government’s Alternative Fuel Payment scheme offers £200 payments to households using heating oil, liquid petroleum gas, wood, biomass boilers and other alternative fuels.

The aim is to help Britons with the high cost of heating their homes. 

Most eligible households get the £200 automatically, because they have a contract with a domestic electricity supplier.

Homes without this will need to apply for the £200.

For those who need to apply, the Government asked applicants to show evidence they had bought alternative fuel from September 2022. 

That point has today been pushed back to June 2022 to avoid penalising households who stocked up on fuel long before the winter. 

To be eligible, your main home must be one of the following: 

1. In a residential park home
2. On a boat on a permanent residential mooring
3. On a permanent gypsy or traveller site
4. In social or private rented accommodation with business energy or a communal electricity supply
5. Off the mains electricity or gas grid
6. Part of a business property (such as a farm or a flat above a shop)

 You can apply for the £200 online.

However, that £200 is just half the £400 paid to households using gas and electricity to heat their properties.

Minister for Energy, Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said: ‘Today we have gone one step further in extending our support to users of heating oil, LPG, biomass and more, to make sure all those in need of assistance with bills are able to access it.

‘Most will have got this automatically, but for those needing to apply – if you haven’t done so already, I urge you to put in your application to get the £200 support you’re entitled to.’

Households have until May 2023 to apply for the £200. 

What other Government energy help is available? 

The Government has three schemes offering energy bill discounts to British households.

The main one was the Energy Bill Support Scheme, which finished in March. This paid £400 in energy bill discounts, split over six months.

That cash was paid to households in charge of their own energy meters. 

For households without ownership of meters, such as those in park homes and residential properties, the Government launched the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding, which is still running and offers £400.  

Finally there is the Alternative Fuel Payment, which goes out to households who heat their homes without using gas – and it is this which has been extended today.