The Government has announced further information on the £400 energy rebate which is being provided to households to help with the cost-of-living crisis. Previously there had been concerns that the scheme would not support those who operated heat networks where a charity charges for energy through their WMC.
However, the Government has now clarified that the payment will be made to those with:
“Domestic electricity contracts from landlords where fixed energy costs are included in their rental charges. In these circumstances, landlords who resell energy to their tenants should pass the discounted payments on appropriately, in line with Ofgem rules to protect tenants.”
Furthermore, they have confirmed that:
“Further funding will be available to provide equivalent support of £400 for energy bills for the 1% of households who will not be reached through the EBSS [Energy Bill Support Scheme]. This includes those who do not have a domestic electricity meter or a direct relationship with an energy supplier, such as park home residents.”
We are glad that the Government has taken note of the pressure from The Almshouse Association and others on this issue. However, we are still disappointed that further information on how the scheme will be delivered has still not been provided.
Those with standard electric tariffs will see a £66 discount applied to their energy bill in October and November, rising to £67 from December to March 2023.
Further information can be found here.
posted 4 August 22