The government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS Alternative Funding) is now open for applications. The EBSS Alternative Funding is a payment of £400 to households who do not have a direct relationship with an energy supplier and therefore were unable to previously receive it. This includes residents living in park homes, houseboats or off the electricity grid or who pay for their energy through a landlord, housing manager or site owner. Applications can be made through an online form on the government website. Once approved, the funds will be distributed by Dorset Council.
Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Culture, Communities and Customer Services said:
“We are pleased that applications are now open to those residents who were unable to receive support under the original Energy Bills Support Scheme due to them not having a direct relationship with an energy supplier. Residents will be required to provide bank details as part of the online form which will naturally cause some nervousness. You will never be asked to apply for EBSS Alternative Funding by email or text and will never be sent a link to apply.”
Applications can be made through the government form, which can be found by searching ‘Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically’ into the gov.uk webpage search bar or through an online search engine.
The form is now open for applications until it closes on 31 May 2023 at 23:59pm. Payment may take around 6 weeks following a successful application.
For residents who are unable to complete the form online, please contact the governments helpline on 0808 175 3287. This will be open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.
For other cost of living help residents can visit our webpage at https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/cost-of-living-help
I live on a farm with a single power supply to the farmhouse.then there are 7 rental propertys feed from the farmhouse.will i get the ebss funding.also all of my private and personal documents are registered at my mums address as we have a communial postbox at the farm.will this stop me getting the ebss funding.
Hi Martyn. I would suggest you submit an application through the government portal. This will then go through a validation by government before coming to us for further validation. Any examples that don’t fit with the usual examples of the scheme we can then raise with the relevant government department. Many thanks, James.
I have done this
I applied for the alternative fuel payment through the government nearly 6 weeks ago, how can in chase this up as I haven’t heard anything.
Hi Melanie. The team are working hard processing payments as fast as they can. Due to the high volume of applications and the fact each applicated has to be looked at and processed individually, this is taking a little longer than expected. You will receive notification as soon as your application has been processed. If you haven’t heard anything by 24 May, please contact the government helpdesk. The freephone telephone number for the centre is 0808 175 3287. The call centre is open Monday to Friday, 08.00 to 18.00. Thank you for your patience.
I have applied on the 1st March and have a confirmation email but have heard nothing yet. I live on a site and buy my electricity from the owner.
Hi Tracey. The team are working hard processing payments as fast as they can. Due to the high volume of applications and the fact each applicated has to be looked at and processed individually, this is taking a little longer than expected. You will receive notification as soon as your application has been processed. If you haven’t heard anything by 24 May, please contact the government helpdesk. The freephone telephone number for the centre is 0808 175 3287. The call centre is open Monday to Friday, 08.00 to 18.00. Thank you for your patience.
I have not received the payment and am beyond the 6 week waiting time. Please can you let me know who to contact?
Hi Lucy. The team are working hard processing payments as fast as they can. Due to the high volume of applications and the fact each applicated has to be looked at and processed individually, this is taking a little longer than expected. You will receive notification as soon as your application has been processed. If you haven’t heard anything by 24 May, please contact the government helpdesk. The freephone telephone number for the centre is 0808 175 3287. The call centre is open Monday to Friday, 08.00 to 18.00. Thank you for your patience.
Hi, the problem here is a lack of communication AND a lack of follow up contact information.
The email response and the form hosted on the gov.uk website does not provide any follow up contact information, if for instance the statement made on the site and the email of ‘letting you know within 6 weeks’ is not met!
The council could have at least sent out an email confirming receipt of the application and that it was being processed (Afterall you have all our email addresses).
Once you have submitted the form there is nothing, nada, you have no idea the council has even received the application.
It really isn’t good enough!
Everybody here who has commented, and I suspect there are hundreds more, are just left in limbo, not knowing what is happening and not knowing who to contact.
And considering this grant is to help your finances through the winter it really is unsatisfactory to still be waiting into the spring, it will soon be summer!
Hi Richard. The team are working hard processing payments as fast as they can. Due to the high volume of applications and the fact each applicated has to be looked at and processed individually, this is taking a little longer than expected. You will receive notification as soon as your application has been processed. If you haven’t heard anything by 24 May, please contact the government helpdesk. The freephone telephone number for the centre is 0808 175 3287. The call centre is open Monday to Friday, 08.00 to 18.00. Thank you for your patience.
I applied 11 weeks ago on behalf of my aunt, who is in a care home in Dorchester with Alzheimer’s. I have heard nothing yet. Do I need to start chasing this up?
Hi Alex. The good news is that we have almost completed all the applications, and we have until 30 June 2023 to make sure that all applications have been processed. Care home applications are slightly more complicated as they require specific invoices to verify the application. If you still have not heard back in the next couple of weeks, please come back to us. Kind regards, Ollie