Following months of lobbying by the NFU, the government has launched a support payments scheme to help households which rely on alternative fuels.
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy also conducted research into non-domestic buildings, including agricultural businesses, who are dependent on alternative fuels, with a view to the results informing future support schemes.
The result is that from today energy suppliers will be able to start making payments to businesses using alternative fuels to heat their buildings. A credit of £150 will be provided to eligible customers across the UK through the Non-Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment scheme.
Suppliers will deliver this support up to 10 March, with most customers expected to receive it later in February. There is no need to contact your supplier.
Since the launch of the Energy Bill Support Scheme last year, the NFU has been campaigning for support to be extended to off-grid homes which rely on alternative sources of fuel such as tanked gas, heating oil or solid fuel.
The organisation met the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy to highlight the impact this was having on farmers, with thousands of farmhouses seemingly left out of the EBSS support package. This comes at a time when farmers are already facing soaring inflation and increased input costs, on top of an almost 250% increase in the average price of heating oil.
From the beginning of this week households across the country which don’t use mains gas for heating will start receiving £200 towards their energy bills following the launch of the Alternative Fuel Payment scheme.
Nearly two million households who use alternative energy sources such as heating oil, biomass and lLPG to warm their homes will receive the support, doubled to £200 last year.
The vast majority of those eligible will get this payment automatically through their electricity supplier as a credit on their bill throughout February.
A minority of customers who don’t have a direct relationship to an energy supplier will need to apply to receive the payment through the same online portal as the one that will be rolled out for the EBSS AF support.
NFU President Minette Batters said: “Like many people across the country, farming families are feeling the pinch as the cost of living crisis continues. Many farmers living in rural areas, especially those who live off-grid, were worried that they would be overlooked when it came to energy support, and it’s a relief to know that this scheme will deliver for all farming households.
“The NFU has worked closely with BEIS to provide this support for farming families. While this support will be delivered automatically for most, many farming families will need to apply and we are pleased that they will now be able to do so this month. We will continue to work with BEIS to try to ensure this application process works smoothly for those that need it.”
