So the discretionary fund is.....**drumroll**.......£100 measly quid!?

NedS

Just announced in the Autumn Statement, this has now increased to £200... but still no indication or clarification on how it will be implemented.

fatbelly

NedS said:

Just announced in the Autumn Statement, this has now increased to £200... but still no indication or clarification on how it will be implemented.

Great. Thanks. I missed that.

The government will double to £200 the level of support for households that use alternative fuels, such as heating oil, liquified petroleum gas, coal or biomass, to heat their homes. This support will be delivered as soon as possible this winter. The government will provide this payment to all Northern Ireland households in recognition of the prevalence of alternative fuel usage in Northern Ireland.

NedS

Here's the link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-statement-2022-cost-of-living-support-factsheet/cost-of-living-support-factsheet

Qyburn

maisie_cat said:

I'm working on the basis that it will not be paid, our pellets have increased from £650 to £1320 , about the same as a gas heated household but nobody really cares.

Are you getting RHI payments?

maisie_cat

Qyburn said:

maisie_cat said:

I'm working on the basis that it will not be paid, our pellets have increased from £650 to £1320 , about the same as a gas heated household but nobody really cares.

Are you getting RHI payments?

Yes, the system cost £13k and we'll get enough back to make the install comparable with a gas boiler install. 

Qyburn

That sounds like you're all square then, install cost and running costs both comparable to mains gas.

There seem to be two thrusts behind some of the posts here. Some seem to be expecting the government to subsidised all heating systems so that they all end up costing the same to the end user. 

Some, and this was an example, seem to expect the government to subsidise to preserve previous price differences. I don't think either are necessarily reasonable expectations. But to explore the second one a bit, if wood pellets should be subsidised so that users get the savings that they originally hoped for, should oil be subsidised down to the 20p or so that it was a few years ago? And should mains gas be subsidised so that it once again becomes the cheapest heating by far?

maisie_cat

Qyburn said:

That sounds like you're all square then, install cost and running costs both comparable to mains gas.

There seem to be two thrusts behind some of the posts here. Some seem to be expecting the government to subsidised all heating systems so that they all end up costing the same to the end user. 

Some, and this was an example, seem to expect the government to subsidise to preserve previous price differences. I don't think either are necessarily reasonable expectations. But to explore the second one a bit, if wood pellets should be subsidised so that users get the savings that they originally hoped for, should oil be subsidised down to the 20p or so that it was a few years ago? And should mains gas be subsidised so that it once again becomes the cheapest heating by far?

You didn't quote anybody but I guess you're having a pop at me. The RHI payments will give me back a fair chunk of our investment. That does ignore the time value of money though. 
There will always be differences, in an area without gas we'll always pay more. I did not say I expected the government to preserve previous prices, that's ludicrous.
However, giving far more help to a proportion of households based on their fuel isn't fair either.

Qyburn

I apologise if I misunderstood. I read your comments as a complaint that your fuel costs were now the same as mains gas.

pinkteapot

Great that the payment was upped to £200, but are they ANY closer to actually distributing this money? The scheme was announced two months ago!!

mmmmikey

pinkteapot said:

Great that the payment was upped to £200, but are they ANY closer to actually distributing this money? The scheme was announced two months ago!!

Ah no - I think what they're going to do is up the amount to £300 in another two months and not pay that either, then up to £400 two months later and so on until everyone's forgotten about it