Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Fund application launch has been delayed to 27 February 2023.

The Government is finalising several elements of the scheme that are critical to delivery. There are significant complexities in delivering a novel scheme with a wide variety of eligible groups with different energy arrangements. The Government must ensure consumers are protected; public money is well spent with robust verification and anti-fraud checks; and that local authorities are prepared to deliver support to eligible households.