Cost of living support for rising energy costs

All UK households will get a grant which will reduce energy bills by £400 from October 2022.

• the discount will be made automatically by your energy supplier
• there is no need to apply

Over the course of six months from October;

• 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.

What additional help will people on benefits get?

Further help for 2023 has been announced by the Government with payments being made in Spring 2023 and Spring 2024.  These payments are:

• £301 for people on an eligible low income benefit, to be paid during spring 2023
• £150 for people on an eligible disability benefit, to be paid during summer 2023
• £300 for people on an eligible low income benefit, to be paid during autumn 2023
• Up to £300 for pensioner households, to be paid during winter 2023 to 2024
• £299 for people on an eligible low income benefit, to be paid in spring 2024

Further guidance will be published on Gov UK when more details have been announced.

What extra help will pensioners get for winter fuel bills?

Further help for pensioners will be available later this year through the Winter Fuel Payment.  The amount of help people will receive depends on their age and household circumstances. 

Find out more about Winter Fuel PaymentsWarm Home Discount Scheme

The government has launched a new online tool to make it easier for people to check if they are eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme.

Find out about the Warm Home Discount scheme

The online tool will guide you through the eligibility criteria, asking questions about:

• your electricity supply
• the benefits you may receive
• characteristics of your property

All customers will receive a letter between now and mid-January 2023. This will confirm their eligibility. The payment will be made automatically through energy suppliers by March 2023.

Check if you’re eligible for the Warm Home Discount Scheme

Find out more on the Government website

Alternative Fuel Payment Scheme

From 6 February, households who don’t use mains gas for heating will start receiving £200 towards their energy bills. This is as the Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) scheme launches.

The Government has confirmed that the vast majority will get the £200 AFP automatically through their electricity supplier. This will include many homes in rural areas. The AFP will be added as a credit on their bill throughout February. A small minority of customers will need to apply to receive the payment. These include those living in park homes or on static houseboats with no direct energy supplier. They can apply through an online portal that will launch towards the end of February.

Find out more about the Alternative Fuel Payment Alternative Fund

Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding

On 19 December the Government announced extra help with the rising cost of energy bills. This would be through the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding. 

The scheme offers households who do not have a direct relationship to an energy supplier, the opportunity to apply for a payment of £400. 

The households this payment is intended to help is likely to include

• care home residents
• residents of park homes
• tenants in certain private and social rented homes
• homes supplied via private wires
• residents of caravans and houseboats on registered sites
• farmers living in domestic farmhouses
• off-grid households

Find out more about Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding

Find out more about other Government schemes