Park Home Residents and the £400 Energy Discount

ZolaBuddy

For concerned park home residents still waiting for news from the government regarding when they will receive the promised £400 energy bill discount, the website below may shed some light, although I cant vouch for its accuracy.

Anyway, according to the site, residents will have to apply online via a government website. The information will then be forwarded to the the respective local authority who will validate the owner's residential status, presumably via council tax details.

Once validated park home residents should receive the £400. But the site doesn't say how this will be paid as it is still being worked out between the government and local authorities..

The online application form is still being tested and could/should be ready by January 2023.

As I said earlier, I can't vouch for the website or for the information it is providing, but it may prove useful if accurate.



https://www.naphr.co.uk/park-home-residents-news/

MWT

Good news if true, but it does highlight that those treating park homes on non-residential sites as 'residential', who have been avoiding council tax as a result, are not going to be able to benefit from the scheme, which is I guess, to be expected...

MattMattMattUK

MWT said:

Good news if true, but it does highlight that those treating park homes on non-residential sites as 'residential', who have been avoiding council tax as a result, are not going to be able to benefit from the scheme, which is I guess, to be expected...

It will be interesting to see how many planning and council tax evasion cases applications from non-residential sites generate. 

MWT

MattMattMattUK said:

MWT said:

Good news if true, but it does highlight that those treating park homes on non-residential sites as 'residential', who have been avoiding council tax as a result, are not going to be able to benefit from the scheme, which is I guess, to be expected...

It will be interesting to see how many planning and council tax evasion cases applications from non-residential sites generate. 

This certainly falls under the heading of 'be careful what you wish for...' or possible 'It's a trap!'

Those who know they are living 365 on a non-residential site would be well advised to not make any attempts to access the £400 on offer...

Mstty

Interesting, have some family on a site that is open 11 months of the year so this suggests nothing for them.

However they don't pay Council tax but do pay a large site fee so it's all swings and roundabouts.

Alnat1

This situation might bring to light just how many people are avoiding paying council tax by living (almost) year round in holiday accommodation.

MWT

Alnat1 said:

This situation might bring to light just how many people are avoiding paying council tax by living (almost) year round in holiday accommodation.

There have been several posts on here by people who are not just 'almost' but really are living all year round on a site that isn't licenced for residential occupation, it is only going to take a few erroneous applications for the £400 to bring these sites clearly in view of the local Council...

MWT

Mstty said:

However they don't pay Council tax but do pay a large site fee so it's all swings and roundabouts.

The large site fee isn't going to make the local Council any happier about the lack of Council tax payments though...

I would suggest urging your family to be careful, especially if this is one of those sites where people are supposed to have an alternative home but they are giving an address which isn't actually where they live, and they don't really leave the site for a month each year...

I have a lot of sympathy for those who are living on park home sites as they are always at the mercy of the site owners and finding alternative sites can be close to impossible in many areas and even then finding one that will let them move an existing 'home' there is even rarer (even if the home is in a fit state to be moved) ...

Mstty

MWT said:

Mstty said:

However they don't pay Council tax but do pay a large site fee so it's all swings and roundabouts.

The large site fee isn't going to make the local Council any happier about the lack of Council tax payments though...

I would suggest urging your family to be careful, especially if this is one of those sites where people are supposed to have an alternative home but they are giving an address which isn't actually where they live, and they don't really leave the site for a month each year...

I have a lot of sympathy for those who are living on park home sites as they are always at the mercy of the site owners and finding alternative sites can be close to impossible in many areas and even then finding one that will let them move an existing 'home' there is even rarer (even if the home is in a fit state to be moved) ...

Why do they need to be careful the whole site closes down for one month in January. So they would not be eligible for this application.

I was just saying things in life (badly quoted) are swings and roundabout some you win some you lose.

MWT

Mstty said:

Why do they need to be careful the whole site closes down for one month in January. So they would not be eligible for this application.

They don't need to worry then, but there are others on less compliant sites that may inadvertently bring attention the site owner would rather have avoided...

Alnat1

Many in "holiday" park homes go on actual holiday/stay with relatives during the winter shut-down month/s as they don't have another home.