Include off-grid households in Government £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme.

Itinerant boat and vehicle dwellers specifically excluded from Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding

Be involved in campaigning to get the energy grant. Unlike the majority of people of this country we are still left without the energy grant. The Government’s web page here https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic

states that "You also cannot apply for a discount if you live:.....on a boat with a continuous cruising licence" or in a caravan/vehicle but not on a registered site. This is despite the fact that the NBTA and other groups have been discussing with MPs and Government officials for almost four months to try to get us included. The Government has failed to create a credible method for itinerant off-grid boat and caravan / vehicle dwellers to access the grant, even though second homeowners received grants for both of their homes months ago.

We are still left out of Energy Bills Support – online campaign meeting tomorrow 8th February!

Unlike the majority of people in this country, our community is still left without the energy grant. This is not acceptable, especially as second home owners have already received grants for both of their homes. In order to get the grant, we must campaign for it!

Please come to our campaign meeting at 7pm on Wednesday 8th February 2023 online or by phone:
https://8×8.vc/nbta/nbta
Alternatively, you can take part by phone using these dial in details:
Dial-in: +44 330 808 1706 PIN: 45925961#

Also please join our Whatsapp campaign group, follow this link to join:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ims9DPmXxgm8405WGRkztF

Off grid households won’t get Energy Bills Support Funding until 27th February

Last week the Minister for Energy and Climate Graham Stuart announced that the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding will launch no later than 27th February 2023. Off-grid households will be waiting even longer for the support that most people got around 4 months ago, including second home owners for both of their homes. Please write to your MP - see https://www.bargee-traveller.org.uk/off-grid-households-wont-get-energy-bills-support-funding-until-27th-february/ for more info and a template letter

Unlike the off-grid community, second home owners received grants for each of their properties over 6 months ago – see

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/may/29/400-second-home-owners-fuel-bills-whistable-kent-seaside-chancellor-payout#:~:text=And%20Rishi%20Sunak's%20latest%20intervention,rebate%2C%20one%20for%20each%20home.

Please come to the campaign meeting on 25th January - see the update below.

CAMPAIGN MEETING WEDS 25TH JANUARY 7PM ONLINE

Unlike the majority of people in the country many off-grid households are still left without the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme grant, especially those of us without a fixed or residential address. The NBTA and others have been in talks with the Government around accessing the energy grant. However, the best that the Government has offered is a convoluted way of applying for the energy grant with the expectation of being denied to allow you to apply for another grant. We are deep into winter and we need a simple and sure way to apply for the grant.

Please come to our online campaign meeting. It is at 7pm on Wednesday 25th January 2023, online or by phone:

https://8x8.vc/nbta/nbta

Alternatively, you can phone in using these details:
Dial-in: +44 330 808 1706
PIN: 45925961#

Energy Bills Support Scheme grants – Interim update

NBTA Advice on Applications for the Energy Bills Support Scheme – Alternative Funding (EBSS-AF) and Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP)

The Energy Bills Support Scheme – Alternative Funding (EBSS-AF) system may go live for off-grid households without a fixed or residential address this week (16th January 2023) in the pilot areas of Wrexham, Chichester, Glasgow and West Sussex, with a full nationwide roll-out anticipated before mid-February.

For the full update please see https://www.bargee-traveller.org.uk/energy-bill-support-scheme-grants-interim-update/

Energy bills support for off-grid households to go live in January 2023

Yesterday (19th December 2022) the Government announced that support with energy costs for off-grid households would go live in January 2023.

Following a successful online public meeting, individuals and representatives of boater organisations joined forces and had discussions with the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to ensure that all off-grid households, including itinerant boat, caravan and vehicle dwellers without a fixed address, will be included in the Energy Bills Support Scheme. See
https://www.bargee-traveller.org.uk/energy-bills-support-for-off-grid-households-to-go-live-in-january-2023/

New report: Energy crisis worsening fuel poverty for Gypsy and Traveller people

Today, Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) released its latest report, ‘Access to energy for Gypsies and Travellers living in caravans’. See https://www.gypsy-traveller.org/report/new-report-energy-crisis-worsening-fuel-poverty-for-gypsy-and-traveller-people/

REMINDER - ONLINE PUBLIC MEETING TONIGHT

There will be an online campaign meeting on 6th December at 7-9pm to share ideas on how to progress the campaign and to discuss further action, including when and how to deliver the petition. The zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88291973806?pwd=TGpSR3pvMCtsWG1IWGkzQmo3OGVYQT09 Meeting ID: 882 9197 3806
Passcode: 402318. To take part by phone, dial 0203 481 5240 and key in Meeting ID: 882 9197 3806 and Passcode 402318.
See https://you.38degrees.org.uk/events/campaign-meeting-include-off-grid-households-in-government-ps400-energy-bills-support-scheme?share=cc8ad78c-11e5-45ce-99eb-229f573841fd

THANKS AND PRESS COVERAGE
A huge *Thank You* to everyone who’s signed the petition so far and taken part in the campaign such as writing to MPs, publicising the petition, or appearing in the media. There have been a few media reports. A few days ago, boat dweller Emma was interviewed on BBC South Today TV - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kan5hDWAHBo

ONLINE PUBLIC MEETING
There will be an online campaign meeting on 6th December at 7-9pm to share ideas on how to progress the campaign and to discuss further action, including when and how to deliver the petition. The zoom link is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88291973806?pwd=TGpSR3pvMCtsWG1IWGkzQmo3OGVYQT09 Meeting ID: 882 9197 3806
Passcode: 402318. To take part by phone, dial 0203 481 5240 and key in Meeting ID: 882 9197 3806 and Passcode 402318.
See https://you.38degrees.org.uk/events/campaign-meeting-include-off-grid-households-in-government-ps400-energy-bills-support-scheme?share=cc8ad78c-11e5-45ce-99eb-229f573841fd

We have heard that a survey company has been commissioned by the Government to design the application form for this grant and it is being tested and critiqued at the moment by a number of selected off-grid households, including itinerant liveaboard boaters, to make sure that it asks the right kind of questions to enable everyone to get the support.

Canal & River Trust (CRT), the UK's biggest inland navigation authority, has raised the issue of the exclusion of boat dwellers from financial support towards energy bills with central government. CRT reports that it is in contact with the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and that it has highlighted the importance of supporting people who use their boat as their home to receive the energy bill support scheme funding, especially those who do not have a permanent mooring. CRT says that it has been informed that an announcement of further support will be made soon.

New Secretary of State (again)

As everyone will realise, there's now a new Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. We hope that Grant Shapps will be in post for long enough to hand the petition in to him. Please *write to Grant Shapps* - if you're in his constituency Welwyn Hatfield (in Herts) however temporarily, he's your MP!! The River Lea runs through Welwyn Hatfield, you may be moored there or planning to be there soon. Contact [email protected]