The government announced on 27 February 2023 that households on heating oil who did not receive the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) directly through their electricity account will be able to apply for it through an online government portal, which will be up and running by 6 March 20231. The announcement was reported by the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA), the trade body for heating oil distributors1.
The AFP is a £200 payment for households that use alternative fuels to heat their homes, including heating oil, rather than mains gas. Under the scheme as described, some eligible households received the £200 automatically as a credit on their electricity account, while others did not, and it is that second group the portal is intended to serve1.
"the government announced that for customers on heating oil who did not receive the £200 alternative fuel payment (AFP) directly via their electricity account, an online government portal will be up and running by March 6th for customers to apply for their payment"
UKIFDA stated that the government would provide further information soon1. The source does not set out the evidence or documentation applicants will need, the closing date for claims, or how long payments will take to arrive after an application is made; none of these details have been reported1.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Payment | £200 Alternative Fuel Payment |
| Group affected | Heating oil customers who did not receive the AFP via their electricity account |
| Route to claim | Online government portal |
| Portal available by | 6 March 2023 |
| Announced | 27 February 2023 |
Why it matters for households
For homes off the gas grid, heating is typically fuelled by oil, LPG, coal or electricity, and the AFP was designed to mirror the support given to households on mains gas through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. Where the payment did not arrive automatically through an electricity account, the household has had to wait for a route to claim it. The portal is that route, and the 6 March date is the point at which it is expected to open1.
The practical effect is that a household's access to the £200 depends on applying rather than on the payment arriving by itself. For a home that fills an oil tank once or twice a year, £200 is a meaningful share of a single delivery, and the timing of the payment relative to when the tank needs refilling is outside the household's control. Off-grid homes also tend to have less choice over how they heat, which is why the payment exists separately from the main electricity-based support1.
What happens next
The portal is due to be up and running by 6 March 20231. The government is expected to publish further information on the claim process1. No closing date for applications, and no detail on how claims will be verified, has been reported1.