Charis has launched its 2023/24 Park Homes Warm Home Discount Scheme, with £150 energy payments available…

The annual Park Homes Warm Home Discount Scheme, run by Charis, is now officially open.

Park home residents in England, Scotland and Wales who do not have a direct account with their energy supplier can apply for a £150 payment to help with their energy costs.
The Charis Park Homes Warm Home Discount is an Ofgem regulated, multi-supplier initiative which this year is being generously funded by E.ON Next.

Restricted incomes
There are an estimated 110,000 park home residential addresses across England, Scotland and Wales. Demographically, these residents, who pay site owners for their electricity usage, are often elderly and on restricted incomes. So this Discount Scheme can be a lifeline for many.

‘Traditionally, many off grid residents, such as those living in park homes, have missed out on much needed financial support,’ said Charis’ director of client services, Jonathan Hunt.

‘We are beginning to understand just how many of these residents have missed out on the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) payments last year. According to a Government report, 42,000 park home households have been recorded as receiving the EBSS payment, suggesting that approximately 68,000 households missed out. Why?’

Direct target
Mr Hunt added: ‘In 2015, Charis was approached by Ofgem to create a scheme which directly targeted park home residents. The result was the Park Homes Warm Home Discount scheme, now in its eighth year. Currently, we have £500,000-worth of payments for England and Wales, and almost £200,000 for Scotland.
‘We are also in active discussions with other energy suppliers, distributors and indeed any organisations interested in helping to alleviate UK fuel poverty, to add to the overall pot and ensure that as many park home residents can access hardship support as possible.’

Eligibility criteria apply. Applicants need to be permanently living in a park home, and either receive government support or benefits, or have a household income below £18,723.
Charis has partnered with Lightning Reach, a recently launched online application portal designed to simplify and speed up the application process for individuals suffering from financial hardship. Lightning Reach helps people to find and apply for a range of financial support in one place, quickly and safely. You may also get matched to a range of support suited to your profile and circumstances. This could include grants from charities, funding from your local council and help with your bills.

Simple process
The application process is a simple form filling exercise that should take about 15 minutes. Residents who are unsure about filling in forms online can contact the Charis support team during normal working hours. Applications are assessed on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, and once all funding is allocated, the scheme will close.
Access details for the Charis Park Home Warm Home Discount Scheme can be found at: www.charisgrants.com/partners/park-homes/