If you are experiencing severe financial hardship you may wish to make a claim to the Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF) Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF) | GOV.WALES
Help for Households
The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) is providing support of £400 for energy bills for households in England, Scotland, and Wales without a direct relationship to a domestic electricity supplier. This support is provided by His Majesty’s Government and is delivered by local authorities. The scheme is now open to all eligible households across Great Britain until 31 May 2023.
Eligibility
Subject to applications meeting the eligibility criteria, people who will be able to receive support under EBSS AF include:
- care home residents and others in care facilities/sheltered accommodation (wholly or partly self-funded)
- park home residents, houseboats and caravans that can provide proof of address
- social and private tenants who pay for energy through a landlord on a commercial supply
- homes on a heat network/private wire
- off-grid homes
- farmhouses used for wholly domestic purposes
How to apply
If you are eligible for EBSS AF, you will need to fill out a short online form via the GOV.UK website. This form can be found by searching “Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically” into the search bar on GOV.UK or an internet search engine. Applications are made directly to His Majesty’s Government, not to or via Local Authorities. If you do not have online access, you can apply via a contact centre on 0808 175 3287 where a representative will guide you through the application process.
Once you have applied, your application will be processed and verified. After this if your application is successful, your details will be shared with local authorities, who will deliver the one-off, nonrepayable support. The payment will be made directly into your bank account in a single instalment.
Further information can be found on GOV.UK.
A further scheme, the Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) is now open for households that use alternative energy sources e.g. oil, coal, liquified petroleum gas (LPG) or biomass.
The Alternative Fuel Payment is a one off payment of £200 for homes that missed out on the £200 main Alternative Fuel Payment (delivered through electricity suppliers in February 2023) and who have seen an increase in their energy costs.
This support is provided by His Majesty’s Government, not Monmouthshire County Council. The scheme is open to applications until 31st May 2023.
If you think you are eligible for the Alternative Funding Payment you can find out more information on the GOV.UK website: www.gov.uk/apply-alternative-fuel-bill-support-if-not-automatic
Anyone unable to use the digital service should call the national helpline on 0808 175 3287. Phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm
Water:
If you are having difficulty paying your water bill, you should contact your supplier immediately. If you are with Welsh Water, they have outlined the support they can provide, which includes payment plans and water rate reductions. More information can be found at:
www.dwrcymru.com/en/My-Account/Help-Paying-My-Water-Bill.aspx
Gas and electricity:
. Any energy customer in need of financial help will also be supported by their supplier, which could include debt repayments and bill payments being reassessed, reduced or paused where necessary.
Help for tenants of social landlords
Some social landlords will be able to provide fuel vouchers for prepayment meters. For more information, contact your landlord directly on:
Pobl: contact@poblgroup.co.uk 01633 212375
Monmouthshire Housing Association: 0345 677 2277 or moneywise@monmouthshirehousing.co.uk
Melin: moneyadvice@melinhomes.co.uk or 01495 745910
Broadband and mobile phones:
If you are concerned about paying your broadband or mobile bill, you should contact your supplier immediately, as they may be able to put a payment plan or other support in place to help you stay connected.