UPDATE: Government outlines plans for Alternative Fuel Payment

Following our last news story on the Alternative Fuels Payment set to double, the government has said that most heating oil users will get their Alternative Fuel Payment through their electricity supplier. It will sit alongside the Electricity Bills Support Scheme Payment.

We are waiting for confirmation of the exact date that payments will be distributed, but the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA) has said that it expects Northern Ireland households to receive them in January and households in England, Scotland and Wales to receive them in February. It’s currently not clear how non-domestic customers will receive their payment.

Some customers will have to apply for the payment using a portal instead. This will be set up for customers who don’t have an account with an electricity supplier, those on the gas grid who choose to use heating oil, and those in park homes. Announcements about the portal are expected in January.

Off-grid properties that use alternative fuels, such as heating oil, liquified petroleum gas, coal or biomass for heating will also receive this payment. Domestic customers will be given a £200 support payment while commercial customers will get a fixed £150 payment plus an additional top-up for high usage, based on actual usage.