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:
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, cost of living, Energy Bills Support Scheme, fuel costs, heating, liveaboards, welfare
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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.
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, continuous cruising, cost of living, Energy Bills Support Scheme, fuel costs, heating, liveaboards, welfare
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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.
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, Community Law Partnership, continuous cruising, cost of living, Energy Bills Support Scheme, Families and Travellers, Friends, fuel costs, Grant Shapps MP, heating, liveaboards, welfare, Wera Hobhouse MP
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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.
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, continuous cruising, cost of living, Energy Bills Support Scheme, fuel costs, heating, liveaboards, welfare
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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.
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
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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.
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, continuous cruising, cost of living, Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, Energy Bills Support Scheme, fuel costs, heating, liveaboards, Travelling communities
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To clarify the previous article, it remains unclear whether liveaboard boaters without a home mooring are to be included in the Government Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding. The National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) is still in discussion with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to clarify the position and how it will be assessed after BEIS requested its input in early December. With the involvement of boaters and supporters across the country, NBTA is attempting to steer the Government towards a £400 payment that truly includes all off-grid households, including itinerant liveaboard boaters, and that this is made available as soon as possible.
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, continuous cruising, cost of living, Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, Energy Bills Support Scheme, fuel costs, heating, liveaboards, Travelling communities
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On Monday 19th December 2022 the Government announced that support with energy costs for off-grid households would go live in January 2023. The 900,000 households in England, Scotland and Wales without a direct relationship to an energy supplier will be able to apply for the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) Alternative Funding and some would also be eligible for the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment. The announcement also covered support for all households in Northern Ireland.
The National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) and Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) held intensive discussions with the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to ensure that all off-grid households, including itinerant boat, caravan and vehicle dwellers without a fixed address, will be included.
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, continuous cruising, cost of living, Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, Energy Bills Support Scheme, Friends Families and Travellers, fuel costs, heating, liveaboards
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A Psychotherapy and Mental Health Skills Coaching Service for itinerant liveaboard boaters has been launched, supported by the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. It aims to help liveaboard boaters to access the mental health support that they need. For contact details and more information, click here
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, Community Fund, continuous cruising, GP registration, liveaboards, mental health, National Lottery, NHS, NHS access, traveller's rights
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CRT has made minor changes to the new Boat Licence Terms and Conditions (T&C) in response to the Pre-Action protocol letter of 31st May 2021 sent by the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA), but has not altered its position on the major issues that were challenged.
Tags: Bargee Traveller's Association, Boat Licence Terms and Conditions, Boats with home moorings., British Waterways Act 1971, law, legal challenge, liveaboards, Section 17, Waterways Act 1995
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