How will I get the £400 energy bill discount?

From October 2022 the UK Government is offering households in Scotland, England and Wales a £400 energy payment to help with the cost of living. Known as the Energy Support Scheme, it will be paid in instalments on your energy bills between October and March.

This payment is automatic and does not need to be repaid. Let’s go through some of the most common questions regarding the payment.

How will I receive the payment on my energy bill?

Your energy supplier will apply the payment directly. You will receive £66 per month in October and November, and £67 per month from December 2022 to March 2023. You do not need to contact your energy supplier to receive the discount – and they will not contact you regarding the payment.

How you receive this payment depends on how you pay for your energy. Those on direct debit will receive the discount automatically – either as a reduction on your energy bill or after your direct debit has left your account. If you pay by standard credit or a payment card you’ll see the amount credited to your bill each month.

If you’re on a standard prepayment meter you will receive vouchers or Special Action Messages in the first week of each month. You can redeem any vouchers at your usual paypoint. The amount will appear automatically on smart prepayment meters.

What should I do if I receive cold calls or texts about the £400 energy payment?

There may be some scams related to the payment. You should keep in mind that your energy supplier will not contact you directly about the £400 energy payment. You will receive this payment directly from your energy supplier on a monthly basis.

Please ignore any cold calls or texts you receive regarding the payment. You will never be asked for your bank details in any discussions with your energy supplier regarding the payment.

If you are concerned you can contact your energy supplier directly on their usual customer service line. You should also do this if you do not receive the payment on your October energy bill.

Report suspicious activity to Trading Standards Scotland. Call Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 and they will help you through the process.

Where can I find more information about the £400 energy payment?

There is more information on the payment on the UK Government website. This details more about how you will receive the payment, what eligibility limitations there are for those that not connected to the electricity grid and information for those who pay for energy as part of their rent.

Energy Saving Trust also answers some common questions related to the payment. You can also explore other pages on their website which run through some of the ways you can cut down on your energy bills.

Is there any other help available for my energy bills?

Whilst the £400 payment will help cut some of the cost we understand that many people will still struggle to pay the remainder of their energy bills. There are a few other support options depending on your current situation.

We recently published an article detailing the different financial, emergency and welfare support options available to those living in Scotland. You can also use our funding finder to figure out what else we can offer.