The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has announced further support for energy bills to combat the cost of living crisis:
Everybody will receive this in October. The discount will be made automatically by your energy supplier so there is no need to apply.
Direct debit and credit customers will have the money credited to their account. Customers with pre-payment meters will have the money applied to their meter or paid via a voucher.
Previously, this was introduced as a £200 discount from energy bills that would have had to been paid off in instalments over five years. The repayment has now been scrapped and the £200 has been increased to £400.
A £650 payment will be made to more than 8 million low-income households on:
This will be paid by the Department of Work and Pensions in two instalments - the first in July 2022, the second sometime in Autumn. The money will be deposited straight into your bank account.
Payments from HMRC for those on Tax Credits only will follow shortly after each to ensure there are no duplicate payments. The government will make these payments directly to households across the UK.
Households that receive the Winter Fuel Payment - which is worth £200 - £300 and is paid to nearly all homes with at least one person of pension age - will receive an additional £300 in November or December.
This will be paid directly into your bank account.
This will be paid directly into your bank account in September. Anyone receiving the following benefits will be entitled to the extra £150:
An extra £500 million has been allocated to the Household Support Fund. The fund has also been extended from 1 April 2022 to March 2023.
The Household Support Fund helps individuals who are struggling with essentials such as food, utility bills, housing costs, transport and more.
Applicants must be:
You will need to apply through your local council, usually either through a link on their website or over the phone.
