Heating oil government support

[snowballer]

Can anyone shed any light on this? I gather there's meant to be either a £100 or £200 one off payment for those of us on heating oil - Hunt said something about it in the budget but since then, radio silence. Has it been quietly dropped or does anyone know what the plans are for this?

I think it is still on the cards but no-one seems to know how it is going to be paid.

Was looking into this recently as just did a tank top up and couldn't find any info beyond the announcement.

We have no idea about this either and haven't been able to find any info.

It's so odd how they made this announcement then just didn't say anything more about it. I've seen it might be paid through electricity suppliers but we pay our landlord direct for electricity so need to get it in another way which is why I'm trying to keep on top of when it might actually be paid.

Following

I've emailed my MP to ask. He's a Tory so I expect I'll either get fobbed off or never receive a reply. But will update if I hear anything.

How will electric providers know who has oil or LPG ?

Apparently we’re getting £200. I’ve no idea how that’s coming to us. DP announced it a couple of days ago.

I got an email from my oil supplier a few days ago to say it would be paid through the electricity account as lots of people use multiple suppliers for their oil based on prices. No idea if we have to register to receive the payment or how they know who is on oil? My supplier said they'd update when they had more info, so I'll come back to this thread if I hear any more

It does seem slightly unfair as we already got the £67 per month money so not sure why we also get another £200

@christmaslover88 it's because the price of gas has been capped by the energy price guarantee but because oil prices can't be capped they are giving a £200 payment- it's not as much as those on gas will gain from the price guarantee so believe me we're not getting anything 'extra'.

Ahh ok, that makes sense

Incredibly I've received a reply from MP within 2 hours! See below. Looks like the new year before we'll get anything.

Thank you for contacting me about heating oil.

If you are not able to receive a support for your heating costs through the Energy Price Guarantee, for example because you live in an area of the UK that is not served by the gas grid use alternative fuels, such as heating oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), coal or biomass, the Government is doubling its support to £200.

The vast majority of Alternative Fuel Payments eligible households in Great Britain will receive payment automatically through their electricity supplier with no need to take any action, and the Government anticipates this payment being made shortly after the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding has opened. There will be a small number of customers who are unable to receive the funding automatically, for instance households in the UK who are located in areas on the gas grid but do not have a gas connection, and the Government will ensure there is a route for those households to apply for and receive the £200 support. This support and Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative funding will be delivered as soon as possible in the new year.

I had an email from Boiler Juice that said it would likely be coming in Jan/Feb.

They aid that the grant would likely come through our electricity suppliers but that it wasn't clear yet.

Just had an email from my supplier saying the payment will come in February through the electricity account

www.gov.uk/government/news/vital-help-with-energy-bills-on-the-way-for-millions-more-homes-across-great-britain-and-northern-ireland?fbclid=IwAR0dXI69P3O59l8Z5RMB_l6KgqZuN6pgeo1DcMIA_ctcBe3y-mCJxUydOWA

In summary: Most households who do not have gas and use alternative means to heat their homes will receive the £200 credited against their electricity account in February.

Those who do not have an electricity supplier will be able to apply for the funding online via the GOV.UK portal in February.

Thanks so much for posting this. We have no domestic electric supply so really useful to see there will in theory be a way to apply for the support

I don’t understand how they will be able to tell who uses alternative fuels to heat their homes?

Well, they know who's not on the physical gas grid so that's a start. I don't know how they'll deal with people who could be in

People living in houses with no gas supply, presumably, identified via billing records or meter numbers? Not sure how else they'd work it out. Though there are all-electric houses I suppose... Maybe by area, there must be a record of which postcodes have no mains gas?

Pressed post too soon!

I don't know how they'll deal with those who could be on the gas grid but choose not to be, but they'll be a minority I think.

Crazy... no money for extra pay but will give wealthy households £200.

Not all off grid are wealthy of course but down here most are.

I think it’s going to be tricky. I live in an area with no mains gas and, while most people use heating oil, it’s not everyone.

I’m in the highlands and loads of us are on oil tanks and I live in a sizeable town. I’ve been holding off buying oil until I heard more about what was going on with this, thought it might have been vouchers or something. I’ll have to check my electricity account.

My understanding is that it's for anyone without mains gas, so everyone in your area would be eligible, whether or not they actually use heating oil.

Thanks for posting this - we have no mains gas here (very rural) and until reading this thread I had absolutely no idea this was in the pipeline (excuse the pun!).