Millions of households are being urged to check their energy account details before a key August deadline so they can receive £150 off bills this winter through the Warm Home Discount scheme.
The government said people receiving means-tested benefits must be named on their electricity bill by 23 August, as suppliers will use customer records from that date to identify those due the automatic rebate.
Around six million households across Britain are eligible for the discount. The scheme includes households in England and Wales receiving Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit and Universal Credit, the same cohort as last winter.
The government said the scheme’s expansion last year meant nearly a million additional families with children received support with living costs. About 250,000 households in Scotland are expected to receive the rebate automatically for the first time this winter.
Households may need to act if they have recently moved home or if the eligible person is not listed as the billpayer. Pre-payment meter customers using a key or card to top up must also ensure the household account is registered in their name.
The reminder follows government confirmation that the Warm Home Discount will continue for eligible households for the rest of the decade, through to 2030/31. Ministers have also pointed to the removal of VAT from domestic electricity bills from 1 October, described as saving £45 from the yearly Ofgem price cap.