Households across the UK can apply for £200 in energy bill assistance.

Households in England, Scotland and Wales that do not use main gas and instead use alternative heating fuels, such as heating oil, biomass furnaces or LPG, are eligible for an additional £200 in support from their energy supplier on top of the £400 they receive for electricity.

Approximately 5% of residences in the UK, or 1.5 million households, are heated by oil.

The price has increased from 58p per litre in 2021 to 94p per litre today, while it reached a peak of £1.59 per litre in 2017. An additional 200,000 families use LPG to heat their dwellings.

In February 2023, the first Alternative Fuels Payment (AFP) was introduced, but homeowners had to petition for the funding rather than receive it automatically.

Applicants were previously required to provide evidence of alternative fuel expenditures beginning in September 2022; this requirement has now been extended to June 2022.

According to the BEIS, the change results from some households purchasing in quantity before winter price hikes in October.

Grant Shapps stated, “We have already paid half of a typical household’s energy expenditure, but we will continue to ensure that assistance reaches those in need.

“Therefore, we’re again stepping in to ensure that households that use heating oil, LPG, biomass, and other fuels can submit receipts for fuel purchases as far back as June 2022, as we recognise that many households will have purchased before winter.”

How you can appeal for support.

You could be eligible to apply if you heat your home with alternative fuels. Your primary residence must also:

  • In a residential park home
  • On a boat
  • On a permanent residential mooring 
  • On a permanent Gipsy and Traveller site 
  • In social or private rented accommodation with a business energy connection or an electricity supply from the mains electricity or gas grid.

You will require the following:

  • A telephone number or email address 
  • Your bank account details
  • Since June 2022, you must prove that you’ve spent £200 on alternative fuels to heat your property (such as a delivery note or receipt).