Energy bill support

Energy bill support for care home residents

Most households in England, Scotland and Wales are receiving a £400 discount on their energy bills automatically. Residents of care homes may be eligible for this discount but are required to submit an application in order to receive it.

Applications for th £400 funding will close on Wednesday 31^st May 2023.

Payments are expected to be paid no later than Friday 7^th July 2023.

Eligibility

The government website states that you may be eligible to apply if your main home is “in a care home or assisted living facility and you pay for some or all of your care (directly or through loss of pension or other benefits)".

How to apply

Applications for the £400 energy bill support scheme can be made via the energy bill support portal. This is accessible online or via telephone:

• Call: 0808 175 6287
• Visit: Energy bill support portal

If you need help with your application, the government helpline team are available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

Before you start your application, you will need to ensure that you have the following information available:

• an email address and phone number (if you have one)
• your bank account details
• proof of address (if not registered for Council Tax)

Care home residents will also need to provide:

• an invoice for your care home fees from the past 3 months
• an official document from the care home including your name and address, a funding statement and the name and address of the care home

Further information

• Individuals can permit a trusted individual to make claims on their behalf; this can be given verbally to a POA or Court of Protection.
• The funding can only be paid into a bank account that matches the applicant’s name; if you do not have a bank account, you must apply for one.
• If more information is required, you will receive a letter from the Government containing your reference number.
• Care home resident applicants will be required to provide a copy of an invoice in the applicant’s name for the care home fees, or a letter on a headed paper from the care home owner/management to confirm the named application is partially or wholly self-funded. These documents must be dated no earlier than three months before the application date.
• An applicant must have held a tenancy or been a resident for one month prior to application.
• Scam protection – the Government will never provide links to the online application portal and will never directly ask applicants to apply or provide their bank details. The Government will only provide guidance to find the application online, which asks the individual to search; “Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically”.
• You’ll be told about the progress of your application by email or letter. You should get a response within 6 weeks.
• If you’re eligible, your council will arrange a one-off payment. You do not need to repay this money.