Posts Tagged ‘Bargee Traveller’s Association’

Boaters’ Easter regatta protest against surcharge 30th March – bus from K&A!

Sunday, March 10th, 2024

There will be an Easter Regatta in protest against the surcharge on boat licence fees without a home mooring on Saturday 30th March 2024 at 12 noon. It will take place in Paddington Canal Basin in central London. There will be a demonstration, music, stalls and more. The march begins at the exit from Paddington Station to the canal.

There will be a minibus running from the K&A which will pick up at Pewsey and Bradford on Avon. Spaces are limited and selling fast, so get your tickets here https://buytickets.at/kanbta/1162660

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UK Boaters for Energy Justice – please sign petition

Friday, February 9th, 2024

More than 18 months on, many boat dwellers have still not been able to obtain the energy support payments which were promised to all households in the UK in 2022. Boat dwellers who legitimately have leisure moorings or ‘high use’ moorings, and boat dwellers without a home mooring on non-CRT waterways, are still excluded, as are some other groups such as Gypsies and Travellers living on the road. These groups still face a doubling in energy costs with no support.

Boaters in Wiltshire have launched a petition in the next phase of their campaign calling for access to two energy support payments which were promised to all eligible households in the UK.

Please sign and share the petition here https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/get-vital-ps600-energy-bill-support-to-remaining-off-grid-households-currently-excluded-from-support

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Licence Surcharge Protest at CRT offices, Birmingham, 25th November – bus from Pewsey and BoA

Sunday, November 5th, 2023

CRT is planning to levy a ‘surcharge’ on boats licensed without a home mooring, which will start at 5% of the licence fee in April 2024 and increase to 25% by 2028. This could price us off the waterways and eliminate our nomadic way of life. There will be a national protest march on CRT Chief Executive Richard Parry’s office at Cambrian Wharf in central Birmingham to oppose the surcharge on our community. The march is organised by the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA).

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CRT impose surcharge on boat licences without a home mooring

Wednesday, October 11th, 2023

Following the CRT consultation on licence fees in March this year, CRT announced on 5th October 2023 that it would impose a surcharge on licences without a home mooring, making these licences more expensive than licences for boats with a home mooring. We oppose this discriminatory and unfair move, which is the biggest attack on the community of liveaboard boaters without a home mooring since CRT’s 2015 enforcement policy for boats without a home mooring.

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What to do if you are still excluded from the Energy Bills Support Scheme

Monday, September 4th, 2023

Many people remain excluded from the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS), despite the grant being promised to every household in the UK. You may still be excluded from the £400 EBSS Alternative Funding and £200 EBSS Alternative Fuels Payment if you:

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Continuous cruisers to get energy bills support – deadline extended to Mon 28th Aug

Friday, August 18th, 2023

UPDATE – the deadline to make sure your details are correct with CRT has been extended to 28th August!

After great efforts of the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) and others campaigning for the energy grant, many boaters without a home mooring on CRT waterways can now get £600 each.

The Department for Energy and Net Zero (ESNZ) and CRT made an announcement yesterday that 7,000 live-aboard boaters without a home mooring will receive a voucher redeemable for cash of £600. This is the result of a concerted effort by dedicated people who took up the fight for inclusion.

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Court cases started over denial of energy bills support

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023

In spite of extensive efforts by all boater organisations, and even by CRT, to get the Minster and senior Government officials in the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (now called Energy Security and Net Zero) to include itinerant liveaboard boaters in the Energy Bills Support Scheme, our community has been excluded, along with itinerant vehicle and caravan dwellers. The Government web page for the scheme says that the grant is “under review” for both communities, but there is no information on the reasons for the review or how long it will take.

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Liveaboards without a home mooring locked out of energy bills support – what to do next

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

The Energy Bills Support Scheme  Alternative Funding – a grant of £400 against the cost of living crisis to help with fuel bills – went live for the UK last Thursday (in advance of what was meant to be the launch on 27th February).

In spite of extensive efforts by all boater organisations, and even Canal & River Trust, to get liveaboard boaters, both with and without a mooring included in the scheme, we have been specifically excluded.

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Liveaboards without a home mooring excluded from energy bills support – online campaign meeting tomorrow 22nd Feb

Tuesday, February 21st, 2023

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.

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Energy Bills Support Scheme grants – Interim update from the NBTA

Thursday, January 19th, 2023

The National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) has provided the following interim update and 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 this week in the pilot areas of Wrexham, Chichester, Glasgow and West Sussex, with a full nationwide roll-out anticipated before mid-February.

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