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 Answers of 24 October 2022 and 29 November 2022 to Questions 65799 and 98830 on Energy Bills Rebate, what progress his Department has made on finalising the details of the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Fund for people without a domestic electricity contract; and whether those people have now received payments.

On 19 December, the Government announced details of the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vital-help-with-energy-bills-on-the-way-for-millions-more-homes-across-great-britain-and-northern-ireland.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding will open for applications in Great Britain in January 2023. However, the exact date that an eligible household will receive support will depend on when the application is made and when the payment can be processed by the relevant local authority.