Households in Great Britain that do not get their energy directly from a supplier will be able to apply for a £400 payment through a Gov.uk online portal that opens in January, with a phoneline also opening that month for people unable to use the internet1. The same portal will handle applications for the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment from households that have no electricity supplier1.
The £400 comes under the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding scheme, which is aimed at an estimated 900,000 households that do not receive energy directly from a supplier1. This group includes tenants in certain private and social rented homes, residents of houseboats and caravans, and people living in care homes and park homes1. Applicants complete a short online form, and once details are checked, payments are made directly to them via their local authority; the exact date a household receives the money depends on when the application is made and when the relevant local authority can process it1. Households already eligible for support under the main Energy Bills Support Scheme cannot apply for the Alternative Funding1.
For the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment in Great Britain, households that have an electricity supplier but do not use the gas grid will have the payment made into their electricity account automatically in February1. The payment is for households in England, Scotland and Wales that use alternative fuels such as heating oil or biomass1.
In Northern Ireland, households will receive a one-off payment of £600, which will start to be paid in January 20231. It consists of £400 under the Energy Bills Support Scheme Northern Ireland and £200 under the Alternative Fuel Payment scheme, which is paid regardless of the type of fuel a household uses to heat its home1. Unlike the rest of the UK, the payment is made all in one go, to make sure people feel the full benefit of the scheme as soon as possible1. It is paid by the electricity supplier directly into a bank account for those who pay by direct debit; households with a prepayment meter are sent a voucher instead1.
"I am acutely aware of the uncertainty and frustration that people across Northern Ireland have felt about their energy bill support. Families can start the new year knowing that they will receive the full support from January."
| Group | Payment | How and when |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland households | £600 one-off (£400 EBSS NI plus £200 AFP) | Paid from January 2023; into bank account by direct debit, or by voucher for prepayment meters1 |
| Great Britain, alternative fuels, has electricity supplier but no gas grid | £200 AFP | Paid automatically into electricity account in February1 |
| Great Britain, no electricity supplier | £200 AFP | Apply via Gov.uk portal opening in January, or phoneline1 |
| Great Britain, no direct supplier relationship (about 900,000 households) | £400 EBSS Alternative Funding | Apply via Gov.uk portal opening in January; paid via local authority1 |
Why it matters for households
The payments cover groups that the main energy support schemes did not reach automatically. For the estimated 900,000 households without a direct supplier relationship, the £400 is not applied to an account but must be claimed, and the money arrives through the local authority rather than an energy supplier, so the timing depends on when the form is submitted and processed1. Households in Northern Ireland receive their £600 as a single payment from January 2023 rather than in instalments, and prepayment meter customers there receive a voucher rather than a bank transfer1. Off-grid households in Great Britain with an electricity supplier but no gas grid connection do not need to apply for the £200, as it is credited to their electricity account in February1.
What happens next
The Gov.uk online portal and the phoneline for people unable to use the internet both open in January1. Northern Ireland payments begin in January 20231. The £200 Alternative Fuel Payment for off-grid households in Great Britain with an electricity supplier is made automatically in February1. No date has been reported for when individual Alternative Funding applications will be paid, as this depends on the local authority1.
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