Householders not eligible for the £400 energy bills support payment can apply to an alternative scheme.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding or EBSS Alternative Funding is a one-off £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households aimed not eligible for the main EBS £400 payment paid directly by government to energy suppliers and credited to energy bills.

Councillor Suzie Pye, South Lakeland District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Poverty Alleviation, said: “I urge anybody eligible for EBSS Alternative Funding to go to the government website and apply, or check the eligibility information if you think you might be eligible.

“This support could mean a great deal to many people and we at South Lakeland District Council are committed to doing the best we possibly can to getting these grants to those who need them.”

EBSS Alternative Funding will target households who are responsible for paying for energy used in their primary dwelling as part of a service charge, rent or other arrangement, for example, those with a commercial landlord or intermediary, such as park home residents, some housing association tenants and self-funding residents in care homes.

Individuals must apply for the EBSS Alternative Funding via the government website at: https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic

Local authorities are then responsible for distributing support payments to eligible applicants.

SLDC has been awarded £628,000 to deliver the approximately 1,570 payments of £400 per household, based upon government estimations of the number of eligible households within the district.

Notifications informing the applicant of the outcome of their application will be sent directly from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, not SLDC.

There will be a central call centre where applicants should raise any queries or objections with in the first instance.