Cost of living: Thousands of households can now apply for £400 help towards energy bills - who is eligible

The cash boost is being delivered by councils in England, Scotland and Wales and aims to provide financial support to around 900,000 households - here’s how to apply.
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Nearly a million households are now able to apply for a £400 boost to help with energy bills as prices for gas and electricity remain at high rates. The government announced this week that the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding application portal is now live, allowing hundreds of thousands to apply for the one-off, non-repayable lump sum.

The cash boost is being delivered by councils in England, Scotland and Wales and aims to provide financial support to around 900,000 households that don’t have a direct relationship with a domestic energy supplier. This could include people who live off-grid or pay their energy bills as part of an all-inclusive rental agreement with their landlord - as well as people living in houseboats, park homes or care homes.

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Around 29 million households across the UK have already been receiving monthly discounts through the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme, paid in instalments of around £600. But this support is due to end in March.

Who is eligible for the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding?

Online applications are open now to households in England, Scotland and Wales who are eligible for the £400 payment. Payments to households that meet the criteria will be made by local authorities.

People who are eligible include:

  • Off-grid households 
  • Care home residents 
  • Park home residents 
  • 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

How to apply for the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding?

You can apply for the £400 payment on the gov.uk website. Once households have applied to receive the funding and their applications have been processed and verified, eligible applicants’ details will be shared with local authorities who will deliver the one-off, non-repayable support this winter.