HOUSEHOLDS are being encouraged to check if they are eligible for a one-off £500 cash boost.
The scheme is aimed at helping with bills – but it ends soon, so check before you miss out.
The payment is a direct payment of £500 to their energy supplier or as a pre-payment energy voucher[/caption]
Families with children under the age of 18, or young adults up to 21 in full-time education in the Stratford-upon-Avon area, could receive the bonus.
The payment comes in two forms: a direct payment of £500 to their energy supplier or as pre-payment energy vouchers for those paying by key or card.
There is also support of £300 for single occupants or couples, which is paid in the same way.
To benefit from the one-off payment, you must meet the following criteria:
- Gross household income of up to £31,000 plus a vulnerability from the list shown in the next section.
- If applying for an energy payment – no household savings
- If applying for Physical Intervention – Homeowners with savings of up to £6,000 (including funeral plans) in aggregate for each adult in receipt of state pension.
You will also need to provide evidence of income:
- For those on means tested benefits – evidence of award dated within the last three months
- For those not on means tested benefits – 3 months bank statements
Applicants must also confirm that someone in the household is vulnerable.
The criteria typically includes:
- Long term diagnosed and treated health conditions e.g., COPD
- Households with unmanageable debt
- Pregnant or have young children under the age of five
- Disabled and in receipt of DLA or PIP
- In receipt of benefits related free school meals
- Other vulnerabilities disclosed by households not on the list but accepted at Act on Energy’s discretion
Act on Energy, the body behind the scheme, explained that it understood that vulnerability is a broad measure and applicants can contact them for clarification.
The scheme will close at the end of September, but it may end earlier if funding runs out as it is offered on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Act On Energy is a West Midlands-based charity that has been fighting fuel poverty and helping households stay warm for over two decades.
The organisation offers free advice on saving money on bills and securing grants for insulation and heating updates.
The Government-funded charity is also running the Warwickshire Household Support Fund to help with heating and energy costs.
The scheme is for households with a gross income of no more than £31,000 per year and has someone living with a vulnerability.
There also needs to be proof of no household savings and applicants must live in the district council areas – Warwick, Stratford-on-Avon, Rugby, Nuneaton and Bedworth or North Warwickshire.
If granted, the fund could offer residents financial support toward energy debts and assistance to repair or replace broken boilers and heating systems.
The vulnerability criteria differs from the Stratford-on-Avon scheme:
- Long term diagnosed and treated health conditions e.g., COPD
- Households with unmanageable debt
- Pregnant
- Disabled and in receipt of DLA or PIP
- In receipt of free school meals
- Other vulnerabilities disclosed by household’s not on the list but accepted at AOE’s discretion
For those needing help with broken boilers and heating systems, the applicants must have owned the property for a minimum of 12 months.
The property must not be on the market for sale or due to go on the market for sale.
For shared ownership households, the same rules apply.
For more information on how to apply for the various schemes, visit Act on Energy’s website or check out their support page.
If you don’t live in the West Midlands
If you don’t live in the area, fear not as you may still be eligible for help.
The Household Support Fund is a pot of funding distributed by councils direct to their residents.
That means what you are entitled is a postcode lottery, dependant on the terms set by your local authority.
In other words, check what’s available in your area as several offer support towards energy bills and more.
It comes after it was revealed that energy bills are set to rise to £1,737 in October for millions of households.
The typical household energy bill is expected to rise by £17, or 1%, per year when regulator Ofgem’s new price cap comes into force, analysts at Cornwall Insight have predicted.
The new price cap is set to be confirmed next Wednesday, August 27.
What energy bill help is available?
There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.