With energy bills rising, the government is offering support to those who were not eligible for financial help previously.
The Government launched the Alternative Fuel Payment Alternative Fund (AFP AF) to help households in England, Scotland and Wales without a direct relationship to a domestic electricity supplier.
You can get this if you’re not benefiting from the Government Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP), where £200 is usually paid through a discount on the energy bill for households using alternative fuels – such as heating oil, biomass and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) –
as the main source of heating.
Customers will not be eligible for both the AFP payment and an AFP Alternative Fund payment.
Who can apply?
You may be eligible to apply if you use alternative fuels for heating. Your main home must also be:
- in a residential park home
- on a boat on a permanent residential mooring
- on a permanent Gypsy and Traveller site
- part of a heat network without an electricity meter
- in social or private rented accommodation which has a business energy connection or a communal electricity supply
- off the mains electricity or gas grid
- part of a business property (such as a farm or a flat above a shop)
Who can't apply?
You cannot apply for the new AFP Alternative Fund if you’ve already had the £200 Alternative Fuel Payments
You also cannot apply if you live:
- in purpose-built student accommodation
- in a care home
- on a boat as a continuous cruiser (currently under review)
- on a non-permanent caravan or mobile home site (currently under review)
- in accommodation provided by your employer (such as seasonal workers, ‘service occupiers’, security guards, building caretakers)
- in a building where you’re acting as a property guardian
- in business premises, such as a pub or hotel, where your address is the same as the business address
- in business premises, such as a pub or hotel, where your address is the same as the business address
How to apply
The AFP Alternative Fund scheme is now open to all eligible households across Great Britain until 31 May 2023.
If you are eligible, you need to fill out an online form on GOV.UK. You can find the form by searching ‘apply for alternative fuel bill support if you do not get it automatically’ on GOV.UK or on an internet search engine.
Apply for alternative fuel bill support if you do not get it automatically - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Applications are made directly to the government, not to Havant Borough Council.
Once you have applied, your application will be processed and verified. After this if your application is successful, your details will be shared with the Council, 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.
Further support
If you can’t apply online, or need help with your application, you should contact the Energy Payment helpline team. You can call them on 0808 175 3287. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
If you think you have received a scam message in relation to the AFP Alternative Fund, you can report this to report@phishing.gov.uk so that action can be taken.