Energy bill discount scheme 2022: Who in Bristol is eligible for new £400 fuel rebate & how to receive it?

On 26 July, the government announced further details on how they will be supporting households across Bristol this winter with a £400 energy bill discount.

SImilar to this year’s council tax rebate, the energy bill discount will not need to be repaid. The discount comes as part of the government’s £37 billion cost of living survival package.

The scheme aims to help 29 million households across the UK deal with the concerning rise in household energy bills.

What is the energy bill discount scheme?

Over a six-month interval, energy suppliers will issue the £400 energy bill discount with the first payment starting in October.

A discount of £66 will be applied to households in October and November. This will then rise to £67 in December and be paid monthly until March 2023.

Household’s that pay their bills quarterly or through an associated payment card will still receive their payments on a monthly basis.

Please note, those with a domestic electricity connection will not need to apply. At no point will households be asked for their bank details.

Any entitled household that doesn’t receive a payment by the end of October should contact their electricity provider.

Who in Bristol is eligible for the energy bill discount?

All households in Bristol with a domestic electricity connection are eligible to receive the energy bill discount. This excludes any household that is not connected to the electricity grid.

How can I receive the energy bill discount?

Customers who pay via direct debit will automatically receive a reduction to their monthly payment. Alternatively, customers will receive a refund to the associated bank account, following the monthly Direct Debit collection.

The government has revealed that payment card or standard credit customers will receive the discount as a credit to their standard credit customers.

Smart prepayment meter customers will have the discount applied directly to their personal prepayment meters in the first week of each month’s delivery.

Customers who opt for a traditional payment meter will be administered redeemable vouchers or Special Action Messages (SAMs) via SMS text, email or post. You will need to redeem these vouchers at your top-up point.

What if I’m not eligible for an energy bill discount?

The government has stated that they will be providing further support for households who aren’t eligible for the scheme, such as park homes and houseboats. An announcement regarding off-the-grid households will be made this autumn.