Support towards energy bills
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With energy prices increasing there are a number of initiatives that have been introduced to help alleviate some of these costs on households. Below is some further information about the support you may be eligible for, either from the Government’s Energy Bills Support scheme or through a charity.
Get a £400 energy discount from the government
The government will give every household £400 off their electricity bill. This is called the Energy Bills Support Scheme. You don’t need to do anything to get the money and you won’t have to pay it back. You’ll get the £400 in 6 instalments starting from October 2022. You’ll get:
- £66 in October and November
- £67 in December, January, February and March
You’ll get the discount monthly, even if you pay for your energy quarterly or use a payment card.
How you get the discount will depend on how you pay for energy.
If you pay by direct debit
Your supplier will either:
- reduce your direct debit amount
- refund the money to your bank account each month
Contact your supplier if you can’t see the deduction on your bill or statement, or the refund in your bank account.
If you have a smart prepayment meter
You should get the discount by the 14th day of each month. If you don’t, speak to your supplier.
If your smart meter’s working in smart mode, the discount will be added directly to your smart meter. You can check if your smart meter’s working in smart mode.
If your smart meter isn’t working in smart mode your supplier might not be able to add the discount directly to your smart meter. They’ll usually send it by text message, email or post as either:
- a code you can use to top up online
- a voucher
You can only use your voucher for your own energy accounts. But you might be able to choose to use it for gas or electricity – even if you have different suppliers for these.
Your supplier will tell you where you can use your voucher. You’ll usually need to take it to a local Post Office or shop with a PayPoint logo.
You’ll need to show a UK driving licence or utility bill with the same name and address as your energy account.
If you have a traditional prepayment meter
You’ll get the discount as either:
- an automatic credit when you top up at your usual top-up point (If you get an automatic credit but you can’t afford to top up, speak to your supplier. They might be able to send you a voucher.)
- a voucher (Your supplier will send the voucher by text message, email or post by the 14th day of each month.
Your supplier will tell you in advance how you’ll get your discount.
You can only use your voucher for your own energy accounts. But you might be able to choose to use it for gas or electricity – even if you have different suppliers for these.
Your supplier will tell you where you can use your voucher. You’ll probably need to take it to a local Post Office or shop with a PayPoint logo.
You’ll need to show a UK driving licence or utility bill with the same name and address as your energy account.
You can find more information about this from Citizens advice. Grants and benefits to help you pay your energy bills – Citizens Advice
If you pay by standard credit or payment card
Your supplier will add the discount as a credit to your account in the first week of each month. The credit will appear on your account in the same way as if you had made a payment.
Alternative Fuel Payments (domestic)
This scheme is intended to deliver a one-off payment of £100 to UK households who are not on the mains gas grid and therefore use alternative fuels, such as heating oil, to heat their homes.
It will enable the government to deliver support via electricity bills in both GB and NI, under a similar delivery model to the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
The payment will ensure that a typical customer using heating oil does not face a higher rate of growth in their heating costs since last winter, in comparison to those using mains gas who are supported by the Energy Price Guarantee.
The government will set out the timing of this payment soon.