I hope that you have all had a relaxing Christmas with family and friends. For some it was our first without a loved one and my thoughts are with those of you who found the traditional celebrations tinged with a little sadness.
The energy crisis dominated headlines last year and understandably was a cause of great concern for us all. I campaigned tirelessly to ensure rural areas, like Brecon and Radnorshire, were not forgotten and I was pleased to host a debate in Parliament on the importance of upping energy payments for off grid homes.
The Alternative Fuel Payment scheme will provide a one-off £200 payment to UK households that use alternative fuels for heating, such as heating oil or LPG, coal and biomass instead of mains gas. There is no single register of these homes, and the process is quite complex. While it is vital that this money is delivered as soon as possible, we must ensure that everyone receives the support they need and no one is missed out. Payment will be made automatically in February by your energy supplier.
Farm households who don’t have a domestic electricity supply separate to the business supply to the farm were previously excluded from the government’s £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme, those households will now be able to apply for alternative funding. Applicants will need to fill out a form on the gov.uk website which will be verified by Local Authorities. Once verified the Local Authority will distribute the payment.
My office is open and my team and I here to help, please get in touch.
We would like to wish you all a Happy New Year, with very best wishes for 2023.
[email protected] or 02922 338545
