Energy Bills Support Scheme
Missing or out-of-date voucher?
Until 30 June, you can get a discount on your energy for any months you haven’t claimed already.
We can send you a replacement voucher. Just provide a few details using our form.
You're getting a £400 discount on your energy payments this winter from the government. Here's everything you need to know about how it works.
What support you're getting
Every household in Britain with electricity is getting a £400 discount from the government, to help with the cost of energy.
You'll get this over 6 months.
- October and November: £66 a month
- December, January, February and March: £67 a month
The discount is paid by your electricity supplier and is on top of the Energy Price Guarantee.
It's all part of the government’s wider support with the cost of living, Help for Households.
You don’t need to apply for the discount, or pay it back.
Check what support you're getting
Use our tool to keep track of your energy discounts and other financial help.
How you'll get your discount
The way it works depends on how you pay for your energy.
If you pay by Direct Debit
- You’ll get your discount paid straight into your bank account as a refund 3 to 5 working days after your Direct Debit has cleared.
- You should pay the full Direct Debit amount as normal. We’ll add the discount to your energy account as credit, then refund it to your bank account.
- If you’d prefer the discount to go towards your energy account balance, you can make a top-up payment through your online account.
If you pay when you get your bill
- We’ll add your discount to your account in the first week of each month from October to March – even if you don’t get monthly bills.
- You’ll see confirmation of the discount on your next bill.
- For example, if you get your bill on the 15th we'll add the discount in the first week of the month.
Smart Pay As You Go meter
- We’ll add your monthly discount straight to your electricity smart meter as a credit in the first week of each month.
- We'll get in touch to confirm we've added the credit.
- If we can't do this, we'll post you a voucher, which you can take to your local PayPoint store.
Traditional Pay As You Go meter
- You’ll get vouchers in the post by the 11th working day of the month.
- Take the voucher to the PayPoint store to top up your electricity or gas meters – or both.
- You have 90 days to redeem each voucher from the date it’s issued.
Finding the discount on your bill
If you get regular bills or statements, the £66 or £67 discount will be labelled ‘Energy Bills Support Scheme’ in the Summary of charges section.
If you pay by Direct Debit, the refund to your bank account will be displayed under Your balance. Your payment could be delayed if you cancel your Direct Debit or it fails to go through.
How to redeem a Pay As You Go discount voucher
1. Check your details are correct
Get in touch if you have to change your name, email or address.
2. Find a PayPoint store
You'll need to take your voucher to the nearest store.
3. Take along valid ID
You can use a UK driving licence, bank statement or council tax bill. The ID must match the name on your account.
Be aware of scams
Some customers have been sent scam emails or text messages.
We’ll never ask for bank details for these discounts, so don’t share them.
And we only send vouchers by email or post – not text message.
If you get a suspicious message, make sure you report it.
Be aware of scams
Some customers have been sent scam emails or text messages.
We’ll never ask for bank details for these discounts, so don’t share them.
And we only send vouchers by email or post – not text message.
If you get a suspicious message, make sure you report it.
Recently moved?
If we supply your new home then contact us right away to get your discount.
You don't want to miss out on the support.
Recently moved?
If we supply your new home then contact us right away to get your discount.
You don't want to miss out on the support.
Data privacy
The following information will be shared with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, who monitor the Energy Bills Support Scheme:
- Your meter point number
- Whether you've received and redeemed each discount
- Information about your meter point – including your billing cycle and how you pay your bill
For details, read the government's privacy notice.
Further government support
The government has also set up some other cost of living support schemes that aren’t directly applied to your energy bill.
Questions and answers
You don’t need to apply for the Energy Bills Support Scheme. All our customers with an electricity account are automatically eligible. The scheme is in addition to the government’s Energy Price Guarantee.
Your meter and payment method will determine how you receive your discount.
No, you don't have to pay it back.
All our domestic customers with an electricity account are eligible for the £400 discount.
Yes. All households with a domestic electricity connection in Great Britain are eligible for the £400 discount. Depending on your payment type, the discount could be used to reduce debt balances.
If you're struggling financially or you're worried about your energy bills, we're here to support you. Find out about the different ways we can help.
There is also further support from the government on the cost of living as part of its Help for Households.
Further, the government’s Energy Price Guarantee is now discounting the unit rate of electricity and gas until 31 March 2023 and means a typical household will save hundreds of pounds this winter. The Energy Price Guarantee is in addition to the Energy Bills Support Scheme and customers do not need to apply for either scheme.
You should receive your monthly rebate payment, credit or voucher within the month. If you pay by Direct Debit, this is likely to be after your scheduled payment. If you have an electricity account with us and have not received your rebate by the end of the month, please contact us.
If you feel confident that you can keep your home comfortably warm this winter and you do not need the government's £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme, you can donate some or all of it to the national fuel poverty charity, National Energy Action.
There’s no difference if you’re a pensioner as to the way you receive your discount. The only thing that makes a difference is how you pay for your energy and the type of meter you have. You’ll find information about payment plan types in other parts of this page.
The UK government is also offering a one-off £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment for over 8 million pensioners to be paid alongside the Winter Fuel Payment. See more details on the Cost of Living Payment.
More support with payments
Energy Price Guarantee
Everything you need to know about the government’s additional support for energy bills.
Check what you're paying
Read our tips on keeping track of your energy and checking your meter.