Alternative Fuel Bill Support - Beware - losing out if you've moved house

temba2

We sold and moved out of our previous house at the end of November 2022.  That house was heated by oil and solid fuel and we had purchased oil in September 2022 - a tankful costing nearly £500.  At that time the Government had not confirmed any process for a COL benefit payment for those using alternative fuels. We've moved into rented accommodation with electric heating while we house search.

Noticing Martin's reminder re claiming for the £200 alternative fuel payment in the latest Newsletter, I dug out the receipt for the oil we purchased in September and endeavoured to complete the online application form but hit a snag - one of the questions asks 'are you registered for council tax at the address you are claiming for?'  Well, obviously having moved out at the end of November, we're not now registered for CT at that address - however we were when we purchased the oil.  Cue a phone call to the Alternative Fuel Bill Support helpline where I was notified  that no, we couldn't claim the benefit as we were no longer registered for CT at the address we purchased the oil for.

As the scheme wasn't available for us to claim during October and November 2022 when we were resident at that address and registered for CT there, am I alone in thinking this is pretty unfair? 

 

Spoonie_Turtle

It is unfortunate that they put a qualifying date so late in winter.  Quite a few people have missed out because of it.

Reed_Richards

But didn't the price that you sold the house for reflect the fact that there was nearly £500 worth of oil in the tank?  In principle it must.  The new owners could top-up the tank and claim the AFP and bask in the knowledge that oil heating is the cheapest form of heating around at the moment.   

Qyburn

When we moved i took the oil with us.

CliveOfIndia

Qyburn said:

When we moved i took the oil with us.

Blimey, that sounds like an awful lot of hassle!  I'm intrigued as to how you did that?  Everyone I know either just accepts the "loss", as it were (if it's just a small amount of oil), or else negotiates a mutually-acceptable price with the purchaser.