Electricity bill discounts announced for those near new pylons

Earlier this month, the UK Government announced how communities near new electricity transmission lines could receive support with their energy bills. The Electricity Bill Discount Scheme has been met with a lot of criticism by those opposing pylon routes, however, to be clear, it is not compensation, nor a bribe. It’s seen as a potential discount on bills in the future that recipients would not have received otherwise.

If you have electricity transmission infrastructure near your home, the discount on your bills will be set at £250 per year for ten years (£2,500 in total). In order to get this, you have to live within 500m of one of the prescribed routes. You do not have to do anything to get the discount, it will be applied to bills automatically. There is very little detail at the moment, but the earliest payments can start will be March 2027 where all consents have been obtained and construction has started, so there will be a wait for some people.

At the moment, it only applies to the following schemes, although more will be added as they come on stream:

• Pentir to Trawsfynydd – North Wales
• Bramford to Twinstead – East Anglia
• Norwich to Tilbury – East Anglia, and East of England
• Eastern Green Link 3 - converter station – East of England
• Eastern Green Link 4 - converter station – East of England
• Sea Link - converter station – East Anglia
• Grimsby to Walpole – Yorkshire and the Humber, and East of England
• North Humber to High Marnham – Midlands
• Brinsworth to High Marnham – Yorkshire and the Humber, and the Midlands
• Chesterfield to Willington – Midlands
• North London Reinforcement – London/ South of England

When consulted last year, the CLA requested that the 500m distance should apply to land owned, not just houses, and that the eligibility should also include pylons which are part of the distribution network. However, as of yet the government has chosen not to progress either of these options.

This discount has been made in addition to last year’s announcement that network operators would establish community funds which would receive £200,000 worth of funding per kilometer and £530,000 per new substation. The key for landowners is how that funding should be allocated and used for the benefit of the local community and the rural economy.

Of course, the wider issue of pylons and new cabling routes remains a thorn in the side of many members and rural landowners. The CLA is continuing to push for:

• Better engagement
• A proper space for negotiations over access
• Better co-ordination between routes and a more flexible approach to undergrounding
• A more collaborative design process and suitable compensation for farmer’s time
• Adequate professional fees so members can get the advice that they need

Stay tuned for further developments as we continue to fight your corner.