From last week, people who live in park homes could apply online for a £400 payment from the Government through the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding. The scheme is open to those who do not pay for their electricity directly, such as those who pay through a commercial contract, including people in care homes or park homes.

Park home owner Annie wrote in to Martin Lewis’ BBC podcast this past week as she is among those who can now claim £400 through the funding scheme.

She asked if she could also claim £200 through the Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) scheme, as she uses gas tank cylinders as fuel.

This payment is for those who use fuels for heating such as tank or bottled gas, LPG (liquid petroleum gas), oil, wood or solid fuel.

The gov.uk website states the AFP payment is “on top of the £400 from your electricity supplier”.

Mr Lewis told Annie she “absolutely” could apply for both the £400 and the £200 payments online. He said: “You’ll have to apply through the park home portal for your £400 and you have to apply through the alternative fuel portal for your £200 but you should get both.”

The savings expert explained how the two payment schemes worked and told listeners at the end of his answer: “That’s the first time I’ve been asked that question.”

Below is more information about how the two payments work.

£400 Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding

This support is intended to provide a £400 energy support payment for Britons who do not have a direct relationship with an energy supplier.

All Britons with a direct domestic energy supply have received a similar £400 payment in six monthly instalments, from October 2022 to March 2023.

This funding is being delivered to local authorities with the support to go out to some 900,000 households.

People can apply using a portal on the gov.uk website. Once an applicant’s details have been processed and verified, their details will be shared with their relevant local authority in England, Scotland and Wales,

The money will then be paid as a single payment with the funds paid directly into their bank account.

Local authorities may require additional information to verify a person’s application but only after the application has been filed through the portal or via the helpline.

The exact date when a person will receive the funds will depend on when they applied and when the payment is processed.

£200 Alternative Fuel Payment

This funding is for those who use alternative energy sources for their heating such as heating oil, biomass or LPG.

Government guidance is that most homes eligible for the payment will receive it automatically as a credit on their electricity bills.

But some eligible households will need to apply for the funds with a portal set to go live on the gov.uk website on March 6.

Some 15 percent of the nearly two million people who use these sources will need to apply online to get the support, the Government said previously.

Mr Lewis gave an update about applying for the AFP on the podcast, which aired on March 1. He said: “Energy firms are telling people that if you haven’t got it, whether it’s in your bank account or a voucher or on your energy account, that you should go and apply from the Government.”

The savings expert said he had received confirmation this is the process but urged people to wait a few days to see if the funds arrive before applying.

The average energy bills for a typical household in England, Scotland and Wales are set to increase from £2,500 a year to £3,000 a year from April, as the cap set by the Energy Price Guarantee increases.

The Martin Lewis Podcast can be found on the BBC Sounds website.

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