I'm sooo tempted not to repay this .... but....

[ToughButterCup]

February's bill landed on 'the mat' this morning.....

 

 

Alternative Fuel Payment ...... in an all electric house ? 

 

Digging around a bit and .... gov.uk says ....

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1130933/domestic-alternative-fuel-payment-scheme-suppliers-guidance.pdf

Downloaded 28th Feb 2023 

 

So I'd better pay it back.

Whassa betting it'll take a dozen phone calls and emails to get it paid back?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stones]

There was something on the local radio last week about this.  In short, the way the payment has been set up (for speed of payment rather than accuracy) they are using simplified data to determine areas that are not connected to the gas grid, and therefore alternatively fuelled.

[ToughButterCup]

So there will be massive overpayment then.

 

Please keep this news from @nod, he'll blow a gasket.

[MR10]

Is it possible to donate it to a charity that helps those in fuel poverty instead of repaying it? Will do more good in my opinion.

[Ralph]

Now that solves a mystery...

[ProDave]

You can't repay it.  you could donate it to a charity of your choice if you wish.

 

Well at least it seems for me the government has paid for the cost of my new chainsaw to prepare my "alternative fuel"

 

The Alternative fuel payment was automatically paid to any house in a postcode that does not have mains gas and where the census data says the majority of houses uses something other than electricity as their main heating.    I wasn't expecting it but in view of the debacle of the price cap falling but bills rising announcement will gladly spend it for them.

[Ralph]

1 minute ago, ProDave said:

Well at least it seems for me the government has paid for the cost of my new chainsaw to prepare my "alternative fuel"

Now that is an idea. I had to get some forester contacts out at the weekend to cut up a fallen oak. He had a new STIHL with 36" bar on it that caused a bit of chainsaw envy.

[SteamyTea]

42 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

Alternative Fuel Payment ...... in an all electric house ? 

I would like to get that, so send it to me.

 

Can tell them I have an open fire.

Edited February 28, 2023 by SteamyTea

[Onoff]

I bet £200 worth of your electrical  energy was generated by alternative fuels. Keep it. 

[ProDave]

If you genuinely deserve it, e.g you have mains gas available but heat your house with oil, there will be a mechanism to apply for it individually but the details have not yet been announced.

 

 

[Nick Thomas]

Got this for the house in Shetland, which doesn't have mains gas and does have a wood stove in it. So I guess it's eligible, even though I'm not living there?

 

I don't *need* it, mind.

[Nick Thomas]

Hmm. Poking that PDF some more, appendix C lists "vacant property" as a possible exception, but seems to AND it with "without a named account holder" throughout.

 

So many edge cases with these things.

[Hobbiniho]

local MP alistair carmichael has been poking the government about this very issue https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2023/03/02/alternative-fuel-questions-raised-by-carmichael

[AliG]

They could take a good stab at it from your electricity consumption.

 

Consumption over say 2x the 2900kWh in the price cap and no rebate as you either use electricity for heating or don't need the rebate.

 

Of course then someone with an EV will pipe up that it's unfair on them and it starts again.