The UK government opened an online application portal on 27 February 2023 for Northern Ireland households that do not have a direct relationship to a domestic electricity supplier, allowing them to claim £600 of energy bill support under the alternative funding route of the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS AF)1. A telephone helpline is also available for eligible customers without online access1.
More than 28,000 households are eligible, including park home residents, people living in care homes and households that get their energy through a commercial contract1. The government said ministers are urging these households to apply as soon as possible1. The full list of eligible groups is set out in the scheme's notes:
| Eligible under EBSS alternative funding |
|---|
| Care home residents and others in care facilities or sheltered accommodation (wholly or partly self-funded) |
| Park home residents |
| Houseboats and caravans that can provide proof of address |
| Social and private tenants who pay for energy through a landlord on a commercial supply |
| Homes on a heat network or private wire |
| Off-grid homes |
| Farmhouses used for wholly domestic purposes |
Source: GOV.UK1
The scheme follows the main roll-out of £600 energy support payments, which reached the majority of households across Northern Ireland in January and February 20231. Payments under the alternative funding route are made as one lump sum directly into bank accounts by the government's finance delivery partner, UKSBS1. The exact date a household receives support depends on when the application is made, with applications in Northern Ireland processed by the government's contracted delivery partner1.
Customers who received support automatically through their electricity supplier under the main Energy Bill Support Scheme Northern Ireland are not eligible for the alternative funding route and do not need to apply1. The government said it will never provide links to the application portal or directly ask individuals to apply for the £600, and warned households to stay alert to potential scams1. Applicants who cannot use the online portal or contact centre, for example because of a medical condition, can have a trusted family member, friend or carer apply on their behalf, provided the applicant's details and proof of consent are supplied1.
"The UK government's £600 help with energy bills is on course to reach thousands more households across Northern Ireland from today, as new routes for funding open to the public."
Why it matters for households
The £600 payment is the same lump sum already delivered to most Northern Ireland households, but the alternative funding route exists because some homes never had a domestic electricity account for the money to be paid through1. For households in that position, such as park home residents or those whose landlord holds a commercial supply, the portal is the only route to the payment, and no money arrives unless an application is made1. The scheme sits alongside wider help with energy bills and debt in Northern Ireland and other support for low-income households, and forms part of the closed energy bill support payments that ran across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Because Northern Ireland's electricity market operates separately from Great Britain's, with its own suppliers and tariffs, the support was designed and delivered on a different timetable from the rest of the UK1.
What happens next
The EBSS alternative funding scheme is open to eligible households across Great Britain and Northern Ireland until 31 May 20231. Applications that pass initial checks are shared with the contracted delivery partner for further verification, which may write to request additional information to confirm eligibility before payments are made1. The helpline for Northern Ireland applicants, 0808 175 3894, is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday1.