£400 one-off energy payment for nearly one million people due to open for applications next week

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The UK Government has confirmed that the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) is currently in its pilot phase and is accepting live applications in some pilot local authority areas ahead of a nationwide rollout next week.

Energy and Climate Minister Graham Stuart MP said this is helping to “refine the end-to-end user journey before full scheme launch”.He also said that the online application portal, and accompanying contact centre helpline, will be open to all eligible households by Monday, February 27.

He explained: “The Government is working closely with local authorities to ensure they are suitably prepared to provide this support by this date.”The one-off, non-repayable lump sum will be delivered by local authorities in Scotland, England and Wales and aims to provide financial support to around 900,000 households without a direct relationship with a domestic electricity supplier.

This includes people who live in park homes, houseboats, off-grid and care homes, or those paying their energy bills as part of an all-inclusive rental agreement with their landlord.Some 29 million households across Great Britain are already receiving monthly discounts of £66/£67 through the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS).The £400 payment portal was due to open last month, but following a pilot launch in a limited number of local council areas it was decided to delay the nationwide rollout until “significant complexities” had been resolved.