Payments and benefits to help with your energy bills

Low-income Households

Millions of the lowest-income households across the UK will get up to £1,350 from the Government in 2023/4 to help with the cost of living. The exact payment windows will be announced closer to the time but are spread across a longer period to ensure a consistent support offering throughout the year. They will be broadly as follows:

• £301 – First Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2023
• £150 – Disability Payment – during Summer 2023
• £300 – Second Cost of Living Payment – during Autumn 2023
• £300 – Pensioner Payment – during Winter 2023/4
• £299 – Third Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2024

If individuals are eligible they will be paid automatically, and there will be no need to apply. For more information, click here. 

A £650 Cost of Living payment will be made to low-income households in 2022 who receive Universal Credit, Tax Credits, Pension Credits and other means-tested benefits. It will be paid in two instalments - one in July and one in Autumn. If you have not received this payment visit, click here.

The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate on electricity bills for low-income households. If you do not receive it automatically, you will need to apply through your energy supplier. This payment is expected November. Click here for more information.

Older people

A Winter Fuel Payment of £100-£300 is available for those aged over 65 on the qualifying date (usually in April). You should receive this automatically from the government, but you can call the helpline (0800 731 0160) to confirm or click here for more information.

Disabled People

A Disability Cost of Living Payment is an automatic one-off £150 payment available to 6 million people who are paid certain disability benefits. The payment will help disabled people with the rising Cost of Living acknowledging the higher disability-related costs they often face, such as care and mobility needs. This is in addition to the £650 Cost of Living Payment for disabled people who also receive benefits. 

To see if you are eligible, click here.

Veterans 

The Royal British Legion (RBL) has announced a new top-up support for veterans to help them pay their energy bills. Veterans can apply for an emergency grant for energy bills of up to £200 a month as part of the Everyday Needs Grants Programme. The grant will be issued by the RBL on a means-tested basis to those in the Armed Forces community who are struggling financially. To find out more please click here.

All households

From 1st October, a new ‘Energy Price Guarantee’ will reduce the unit cost of electricity and gas for UK households. This is automatic and applies to all households. The discount will be made automatically by your energy supplier, who should provide you with further details of how and when you will receive the grant. It is important they have up to date contact details for you to communicate payment details. The non-repayable £400 energy discount from the UK Government will be paid in six instalments, with households seeing £66 taken off their energy bills in October and November, and £67 a month from December to March 2023.

The money will be paid differently depending on how you pay your bill: 

• If you've set up a direct debit, or pay by card, the money will be automatically credited to your energy account, reducing what you need to pay. 
• Customers with 'smart' prepayment meters will have the money applied to their meter each month, so they'll have to add less credit to their meter. 
• Those with 'non-smart' traditional prepayment devices will receive either 'Special Action Messages' or vouchers from their supplier in the first week of each month, by text, email or in the post. The vouchers will be redeemable at top-up points, such as a local post office, and the discount will be credited to the meter key. It's therefore important your supplier has your current, up-to-date contact details. Vouchers are only valid for about 90 days so make sure you check the date and use it. 

Beware of text or other scams – there is no need to apply, and you will never be asked for bank details. 

Cold Weather Payments are made when the temperature where you live is an average of 0°C or below over seven consecutive days. It is based on the benefits you receive and will also be paid automatically.

All information about energy benefits can be found here.