Discover the challenges of the flawed Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Fund (EBSS AF), leaving 4 out of 5 eligible off-grid homes without crucial energy bill relief. Learn about the application issues, unspent funding, and the call for reform. Insights from Age UK and End Fuel Poverty Coalition.
Read This: Shortfall in Energy Support Scheme: £3 Million Assistance Missed by Over 700,000 Households
A program aimed at assisting off-grid households in mitigating the surging costs of energy bills suffered from such substantial flaws that four out of every five eligible recipients missed out on receiving payments.
Among the 883,000 households in England, Scotland, and Wales that met the criteria for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Fund (EBSS AF), only around 150,000 households (equivalent to 17%) were granted the £400 assistance available for this year, as disclosed by a Freedom of Information request.
The primary intention of the scheme was to encompass individuals excluded from benefiting from the Energy Bills Support Scheme, which automatically disbursed £400 to energy suppliers. This omission typically affected those with non-standard supply arrangements, including residents of houseboats, caravans, care homes, and off-grid dwellings.
Furthermore, this inadequacy in the application process resulted in a substantial £300 million in unutilized funds that are now slated to be returned to the Treasury.
Critics have fervently criticized the government for its botched implementation of the EBSS AF initiative. Although the scheme’s online application portal was initially set to launch in January, it was deferred by a month due to “significant complexities,” as acknowledged by Graham Stuart MP, the Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero. The closing date for applications was extended until May 31.
Age UK has urgently called for the untapped funds to be reinvested into the scheme, the establishment of a streamlined application process, and the initiation of a government-funded communication campaign targeted towards eligible demographic groups. Caroline Abrahams CBE, representing Age UK, expressed that the government’s distribution methodology for the funds exhibited inherent flaws, which ultimately led to the expected failure of the scheme. She underscored that a significant portion of over half a million households, particularly older residents residing in park homes and care facilities, were denied critical financial assistance due to these deficiencies.
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Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, condemned the scheme’s severe failure, originally designed to provide warmth to vulnerable individuals during the preceding winter. He expressed serious concerns about the potential adverse effects on older people and those with underlying health conditions and disabilities who were forced to endure cold and damp living conditions as a result of this ill-conceived initiative.
Responding to these critiques, a government spokesperson highlighted the substantial financial support extended during the winter price surges, which covered nearly 50% of an average household’s energy expenses. This aid encompassed over £60 million allocated to support more than 140,000 households lacking access to domestic electricity suppliers. The government employed a range of communication channels, including a contact center and communication via councils to eligible care homes and park home sites, to disseminate information about the scheme to as many eligible households as possible. Households that overlooked the application were advised to consult the government’s webpage for information regarding potential alternative forms of assistance they might be eligible for.
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