The Government have announced several things that are going to help with the rising costs of energy bills.
- Firstly, all domestic energy customers will receive an upfront discount on their energy bills worth £200. This discount will be applied on electricity bills from October later this year. This will then be repaid over time, with a levy of £40 added to electricity bills for the following 5 years. This is not a personal loan, and will not affect your credit rating in any way.
- Secondly, households in council tax bands A to D will receive a £150 council tax rebate in April. This covers around 80% of homes in England, and makes sure that help is targeted to households that particularly need help. This will happen automatically for people who pay by direct debit, but does not apply to second homes, or empty properties. This does not have to be paid back.
- Anyone not eligible for the council tax rebate will be able to access support through their council, with councils being given £144 million of discretionary funding for this. This fund can also be used for people on lower incomes living in Band E-G properties.
Vulnerable households can also find financial support through a number of targeted schemes including the Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payments. Additionally, most energy providers offer a Warm Home Discount to those eligible. Please see the "More help with Energy Bills" page.