The cost of living crisis continues and as household bills hit the doormat, assistance in paying those hefty fuel costs is always welcome. There is a change in the way families can apply for help towards their energy bills that has meant that more households will be able to claim an extra £200.
The news will be welcomed by households who use heating oil, liquefied petroleum gas , coal or biomass. Those families who didn't receive an automatic payment of £200 needed to apply for the cash using an online portal. To be eligible, they needed to provide evidence of payments of alternative fuel from September 2022. However, this has been extended backwards three months from September to June 2022, meaning more families will be able to claim the money.
The AFP was doubled to £200 in the Autumn Statement to help people who use alternative energy sources to warm their homes amid the cost of living crisis. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the 'vast majority' of eligible households have had their payment automatically, but the change meant that households who purchased fuel before September last year can apply for the £200 support using their receipts from earlier in the year.
Households who solely use alternative fuel have until Wednesday, May 31, to make their claim for the extra cash by filling out the online application form through Gov.uk. If you do not have online access, you can also apply through the scheme's contact centre by calling 08081753287. Once you have applied, the application will be processed and verified and if successful, your details will be shared with your local authority who will then make the one off payment.