Money Matters: Energy bill payment vouchers
In this week's Money Matters column, Wrekin's Debt & Energy Manager Dan Bebbington highlights why it’s important to claim energy bill support vouchers as soon as possible.
Almost two million energy bill support vouchers for households with prepayment meters have yet to be claimed, new figures have revealed.
Time is running out for people to redeem the assistance provided under the UK Government's Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) which offers a discount of £400.
Statistics from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero show that as of February, 78 per cent (7.6 million) of the vouchers had been claimed.
However, that means a significant number have not. We always stress to customers the importance of accessing any support they’re entitled to.
The Fuel Bank Foundation charity is also urging people to ensure they receive the vouches.
Their plea comes as the June 30th deadline, when all the vouchers must be redeemed by, is fast approaching.
All UK households with an electricity connection were eligible for the scheme, which saw six monthly instalments paid between October 2022 and March this year.
If you have a traditional prepayment meter, your electricity supplier should have sent vouchers to top up your prepayment meter at your nearest PayPoint or Post Office branch.
It should have been sent automatically from the first week of each month as a voucher, via text message, email, post or an automatic credit when you top up.
If you haven’t received the vouchers, you should contact your electricity supplier as soon as possible. Some companies have an online form to help you get them reissued.
You should also make sure your electricity supplier has your latest contact details as this could be why you haven’t received the voucher.
Whatever you do, make sure to act before the deadline and don’t miss out on this important discount.
12th May 2023