District Council urges residents of Newark and Sherwood to apply for the Government’s energy bill support discount

Posted on: Friday, March 3, 2023

Most residents will have received their energy support discount automatically from their energy supplier. However, there are a significant number of residents who are now eligible for the discount and may not realise that they need to apply for this support.

The Government has announced how the scheme will be rolled out to those people who live ‘off-grid’ and don’t have a direct relationship with their power suppliers.

People who live in park homes, care homes, on a permanent Gypsy and Traveller site or on houseboats, for example, who don’t have a domestic electricity meter or contract with an energy supplier may be eligible for support.

The government has launched a website where residents can check their eligibility here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic. Details on how to check and to apply for the scheme are given on the website.

“This broadening of the Government support is very welcome, as it addresses a group of residents who may be particularly vulnerable and, so far, haven’t been able to take advantage of the Government’s energy bill support scheme,” explains Councillor David Lloyd, Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council. “Many of these residents, such as those living in care homes or park homes, have been hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis. This latest scheme will allow them to benefit from the help other households have already seen automatically through their energy bills.”

Residents without access to the internet or who need help with their application can call the Government helpline 0808 1753 287, Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm.

For the payments to be made through this scheme, residents will need to supply their bank account details through the secure portal. However, customers are reminded that the Government will never contact residents directly to ask for bank details and we urge all our residents to be wary of potential scams.