UK government sets out Energy Bill Support Scheme details

2 mins read

Friday 29 July 2022

The UK government has published details of how households will receive their £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme payment.

The Chancellor announced the Energy Bill Support Scheme earlier this year. All households with a domestic electricity supply in England, Scotland and Wales are eligible for the £400 payment.

How will I receive the payment?

The government has now confirmed that it will pay the £400 in six separate instalments of £66 or £67. The payments will arrive between October 2022 and March 2023.

You will get the grant automatically from your electricity supplier if either:

  • You pay your electricity bill by direct debit.
  • You pay your bill by standard credit. (This means you pay by cash, cheque or card after receiving a bill by post).
  • You have a smart prepayment meter.

Depending on your supplier and how you pay, this will be done by crediting your electricity account or a refund directly into your bank account.

If you have a traditional (non-smart) pre-payment meter, it’s a bit more complicated. You will receive six separate vouchers via text, email or post. You’ll need to redeem these by topping up as usual in a shop or post office.  You will have three months to redeem these vouchers, and you could lose out if you delay in redeeming them.

If you pay for your electricity as part of your rent to your landlord, the government has said that it expects landlords that resell electricity to their tenants to “pass the discounted payments on appropriately”.

In all cases, no one should ask you for bank details at any point.  Stay alert for potential scams and report anything you suspect to the relevant authorities.

For more information, visit GOV.UK.

I live in Northern Ireland – can I access the scheme?

The scheme only applies in England, Wales and Scotland.

Northern Ireland will be provided with funding to introduce a similar scheme.

More help with energy bill support

For more about this topic, visit our webpage on help with utility bills.