Asked by: Rosie Duffield (Labour - Canterbury)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, by what date he expects the Energy Bill Relief Scheme payment to be made, in relation to residents of Park Homes.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Energy Bill Support Scheme alternative funding portal on gov.uk will open on or by Monday 27th February.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of park home households who are eligible for grant support under the ECO4 scheme.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Energy Company Obligation scheme (covering Great Britain) has been one of the Government’s key domestic energy efficiency policies, improving 2.4 million homes since it began in 2013. The Government estimates that under ECO4, around 800,000 measures may be installed in around 450,000 households, including 155,000 households with EPC ratings of E, F or G by March 2026. While park home households are within the scope of ECO4, the Government does not hold estimates of how many are eligible for support under the scheme.
Under ECO4, which began in April 2022, 1 park home household had been in receipt of energy efficiency measures by the end of September 2022.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many park home households have received grant support for energy efficiency installations under the ECO4 scheme.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Energy Company Obligation scheme (covering Great Britain) has been one of the Government’s key domestic energy efficiency policies, improving 2.4 million homes since it began in 2013. The Government estimates that under ECO4, around 800,000 measures may be installed in around 450,000 households, including 155,000 households with EPC ratings of E, F or G by March 2026. While park home households are within the scope of ECO4, the Government does not hold estimates of how many are eligible for support under the scheme.
Under ECO4, which began in April 2022, 1 park home household had been in receipt of energy efficiency measures by the end of September 2022.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the letter sent by the Minister of State for Energy and Climate to all Members on 25 November 2022 entitled Energy Bills Support in Great Britain: Complex Cases, what steps his Department is taking to communicate to affected people the timescale for making those payments to park home residents.
Answered by Graham Stuart
On 19 December, the Government publicly announced that the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) will launch in 2023 to eligible households in Great Britain. The Government will communicate when the new scheme is live, which is anticipated to be on or before 27th February. It is working closely with stakeholder groups and representative bodies, including park home associations, to update them on progress and ensure those eligible are made fully aware of the scheme and encouraged to apply.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the statement by the Minister for Energy and Climate of 25 January 2023, Col 1026, what the eligibility criteria for energy support will be for households without a relationship to a domestic supplier; and what steps he is taking to communicate the criteria with relevant households.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The GOV.UK page in February 2023 will include an overview of eligibility for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding. This is likely to include care home residents, residents of park homes, tenants in certain private and social rented homes, residents of caravans and houseboats on registered sites, farmers living in domestic farmhouses, and off-grid households. The Government will announce when the new scheme is live and will work closely with stakeholder groups and representative bodies to give them an update on progress, ensuring eligible households are made fully aware of the scheme and encouraged to apply.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of park home residents eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme-Alternative Fund in (a) North West Norfolk constituency and (b) Norfolk.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department has made no such estimates for North West Norfolk constituency and Norfolk. However, it is estimated that over 130,000 residents of park homes, houseboats and caravans, who can provide proof of address, in England, Scotland and Wales, will be eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF). Overall, EBSS AF will provide support of £400 for energy bills for around 900,000 households that do not have a direct relationship with a domestic energy supplier, for example households with landlords that have a commercial energy contract, or those that are off-grid.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to use the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding process used in Great Britain in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Graham Stuart
All households in Northern Ireland will receive a £600 payment, which is a combination of the £400 EBSS payment and the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment. This combined payment reflects the different nature of the energy market in Northern Ireland and higher usage of alternative fuels, such as heating oil. As in Great Britain, households without a domestic electricity contract, such as residents of park homes, caravans on registered sites, and house boats, that do not receive this payment automatically, will receive equivalent payments through the EBSS Alternative Funding. Further details will be set out in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to take steps to ensure that people for whom a park home is their sole or main residence will be eligible for support under the (a) Energy Bill Support Scheme and (b) other schemes providing support with the rising cost of energy bills.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding will be available to households without a direct relationship with a domestic electricity supplier. This will be a payment of £400 per eligible household and is expected to include park home residents. On 19 December, the Government announced that the application portal for this extension will open later in January. Further details will be published shortly.
The Government has launched Help for Households on GOV.UK, outlining the full range of support available to help with the cost of living, including detail on types of support to help with winter heating costs.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the devolved Administrations on extending assistance through the Government’s Energy Bill Support Scheme or any other related forms of assistance with the rising cost of energy bills to people for whom a park home is their sole or main residence.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular conversations with Cabinet and Devolved Administration colleagues on a range of issues.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received on behalf of people for whom a park home is their sole or main residence, who are not currently eligible for assistance through the Government’s Energy Bill Support Scheme or any other related forms of assistance with the rising cost of energy bills.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State receives representations on a wide range of issues. Officials at the Department for Business have had a number of conversations with stakeholder groups, including those who represent park home residents, to discuss the alternative funding arrangements under the Energy Bills Support Scheme AF. The Energy Bills Support Scheme AF will provide a discount of £400 on energy bills for around 900,000 households without a relationship with a domestic electricity supplier, including park homes.