First instalment of £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount to be seen in October electricity bills

Households will see the first instalment of the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme in their October electricity bill.

The discount will be automatically applied each month in six instalments between October 2022 and March 2023.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme provides a £400 non-repayable discount to all households with a domestic electricity connection to help with energy bills.

The £400 grant was first announced in May, replacing a previously reported £200 loan to aid in costs.

However, due to the rapid rising cost of energy, then Chancellor Rishi Sunak changed the support to be offered.

You do not need to apply for the discount, and there’s no need to contact your energy supplier. If you get a message asking for your bank details, this could be a scam. You can report messages you think are suspicious.

If you have not received your first instalment by the end of October 2022, you need to contact your supplier.

The discount will be applied to your monthly household electricity bill for 6 months starting in 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.

Traditional prepayment meter users will get the discount from the first week of each month. You’ll get the discount automatically in one of the following ways, as:

• redeemable vouchers, sent by SMS text, email or post
• an automatic credit when you top up at your usual top up point

Your electricity supplier will let you know in advance how you will get your discount.

Your supplier should have your contact details, but if you’re not sure or you don’t receive any information from them, you should check that they have your number and email.

If you get vouchers you’ll need to redeem them at a top-up point. Your supplier will tell you where to redeem them, for example at a Post Office branch or a PayPoint shop.

Payzone outlets are unable to accept the vouchers.

If you pay by standard credit or payment card, your discount will be automatically applied as a credit to your account in the first week of each month. The credit will appear as it would if you had made a payment.

If you’re a direct debit customer, you’ll get the discount automatically in one of the following ways, as:

• a reduction to your monthly direct debit amount
• a refund to your bank account following the monthly direct debit collection

If you have a smart prepayment meter, your discount will be credited directly to your smart prepayment meter in the first week of each month.

For more information, please visit: www.gov.uk/guidance/getting-the-energy-bills-support-scheme-discount