Last year the Government announced a £400 payment to all domestic energy customers to help with bills, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sharp increases in energy prices. Most households received this automatically via a discount to their energy bills, however around 900,000 households without a direct relationship with an electricity supplier, including park home residents, retirement homes and some social housing, were unable to receive this directly.
Ensuring park home residents have equal access to support with energy bills and rising costs has been a priority for me. Since the scheme was announced I have been pressing Ministers to finalise how this support will be delivered to park home residents and all those eligible.
I was delighted when the Government announced the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding, which will provide this £400 to park home households. Ministers committed to establishing a method of payment with the aim of delivering this support in early 2023, however with no single register of eligible households, establishing this mechanism in a way that is straight forward but also robust in preventing fraud has been a complicated matter.
I have been engaging with Ministers throughout this period, pressing for the Government to devolve the Scheme to our Local Authorities, in a similar way to how covid grants were administered, in order to roll this out as soon as possible. This would enable residents to apply directly and that this support will not be passed on through the park owner.
I am delighted that this scheme is now open to applications and park home residents will be able to receive this support. You can apply at: https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic.
If you cannot apply online or need help with your application, contact the helpline team at:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0808 175 3287
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Payments will be delivered to residents through the local authority, in our case Runnymede Borough Council. I have already spoken to the council regarding the support for vulnerable residents or those who may have trouble applying.
Support will also be available for residents reliant on off grid gas and heating oil. The Government recently announced they have doubled the Alternative Fuel Payments to £200, delivering support for those in properties using fuels such as heating oil, liquified petroleum gas, coal or biomass for heating. Residents who cannot receive an automatic payment via their supplier will be able to apply for this online in a similar way to the energy scheme, and I will publish further information when this is available.
Alongside the energy bills support scheme, targeted support will help the most vulnerable households and individuals in receipt of means-tested benefits will receive a one-off £650 payment. In addition, pensioner households will see a one-off £300 payment alongside the Winter Fuel Payment and individuals receiving disability benefits will receive £150.
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties as a result of rising costs, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] and I will be happy to look into matters on your behalf.
Over the past year I have visited and heard from residents in Park Homes across Runnymede and Weybridge. Following discussions with residents, late last year in Parliament I spoke in support of changes for Pitch Fees, and supported the Mobile Homes and Park Homes Bill to change them. You can see an update on this work and my speech on my website here: https://tinyurl.com/ParkHomeProgress.
I have also taken up unfair ground rent issues with park home companies directly, as well as working on the many varied issues that park home residents have brought to me over the past three years. I will continue to raise these matters on behalf of park home residents.
