Itinerant boat dwellers are now specifically excluded from Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding. The only way our community will get the grant is if we campaign for it. There will be an online/ phone campaign meeting tomorrow, Wednesday February 22nd 2023 at 7pm. Campaigning is also taking place locally. The online/ phone meeting at 7pm tomorrow is organised by the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA). Here are the joining details:
Alternatively, you can take part by phone:
Phone this number – 0330 808 1706 – and key in this PIN number – 45925961#
Unlike the majority of people of this country our community is 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”. 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.
The NBTA has set up a Whatsapp campaign group about the energy grant – you can join here
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ims9DPmXxgm8405WGRkztF
Locally, Devizes and District Food Bank has been leading action to include those who have been excluded from the Energy Bills Support Scheme. A meeting took place on 17th February in Devizes Town Hall with the Food Bank, Danny Kruger MP for Devizes, and other local organisations and individuals, including some liveaboard boaters. A report of the meeting is below. There will be another meeting in March. If you want to be involved please contact Alex Montegriffo, Trussell Trust campaigner, on 07483 377346 or alex@devizesanddistrict.foodbank.org.uk
Please also keep signing and sharing this petition:
Report of Cost of Living Meeting at Devizes Town Hall, 17th February 2023:
There were 12 people present including Danny Kruger MP and representatives of CAB, Aged Care, Devizes & District Food Bank, Devizes Open Doors, Devizes Community Fridge plus four boaters from a local marina and another member of the public.
The purpose of the meeting was to share the progress of community projects designed to combat the cost of living crisis, to discuss the work and insights of local voluntary sector organisations in that area, and to raise national and local policy concerns and come up with actions to alleviate them.
Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Fund (£400.00):
MP confirmed the expected roll out of this for people not connected to mains electricity is the 27th February, but he couldn’t guarantee this would happen, and conceded the whole process had been extremely unsatisfactory. The impact on some liveaboard boaters of the delay including them in the scheme was noted, especially in light of the fact that second home owners have received the subsidy (which he was not aware of) . We suggested to the MP that the government explore using the CRT database to identify eligible boaters and simplify the roll out process. He agreed to follow this up with CRT.
Further discussion revolved around the increasing complexity of applying to the government for anything and the need for more face to face guidance when required. Aged Care commented on the large numbers of people not applying for Pension Credit possibly because of this, and the Food Bank highlighted the success of cash first payments they were distributing in conjunction with Wiltshire Council for people needing emergency funding.
The MP expressed the notion that the fear of fraud was contributing to bureaucratic overload and did not have any thoughts on alleviating this in the near future. He appreciated the difficulties for boaters of receiving relevant information in a timely fashion. A relevant point made was whether marina moorers would be entitled to the Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding. If anyone has clear information regarding this could you please forward it to info@boatingcommunity.org.uk as he was unaware of this caveat and would like to investigate it.
Going forward the group decided it would be good to:
1. Explore ways of increasing contact with each other and other charities
2. Increase face to face opportunities to help the public in an easily accessible location and maybe even with a mobile unit. This will be taken up at the next meeting in March. If the support scheme fails to roll out on the 27th February it is strongly advised that as many people as possible to attend the next meeting to make your voice heard. Dates to follow. (Report by J.H.).
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, continuous cruising, cost of living, Danny Kruger MP, Devizes and District Food Bank, Energy Bills Support Scheme, fuel costs, heating, liveaboards, meeting, welfare