Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not including gypsies and travellers living in roadside camps from the Energy Bill Support Scheme on those people.

The Government has been in contact with representatives of itinerant travellers to understand their concerns and seek to overcome barriers to accessing the EBSS Alternative Funding. We have been unable to establish a robust method for households in caravans not on permanent sites to prove that their caravan is their main or sole residence, whilst protecting public funds against fraud. We recommend that these households should contact their local authority to apply for the Housing Support Fund and also visit the ‘Help for Households’ webpage on GOV.UK to view what other support they may be eligible to receive - https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/.