How do I get the £400 energy grant and £650 cost of living payment?

RISHI Sunak has unveiled £15billion worth of energy bill relief – here’s how to get the £400 energy grant and £650 cost of living cash boost.

Earlier this week, the Chancellor unleashed a mega cost of living support package to help households pay for spiralling energy bills.

1

On average, each household will get £550 in help for energy bills, Rishi Sunak told MPs .

It’s to help desperate families pay for bills this winter when the energy price cap is expected to hit £2,800 in October.

It means £830 will be added onto bills, marking another bitter blow for households – six million of which are in debt with their energy supplier.

Two of the measures Mr Sunak revealed was a £400 energy bill grant that EVERY household will get – while eight million on means-tested benefits will get a £650 cash boost.

But how do you get the help, and who is eligible? We explain below.

How do I get the £400 energy bill grant?

The £400 energy bill discount will replace current plans for a £200 energy rebate, which households were told they would have to pay back over five years.

Now EVERY household will get a £400 grant which you WON’T have to pay back through higher energy bills in later years.

It will be given automatically to all households in England, Scotland and Wales – you will not have to apply.

It will be paid to households via their energy suppliers.

The energy discount will be dished out from October and payments will be paid in instalments over the successive six months.

Direct debit and credit customers will see their money credited to their account.

While customers with pre-payment meters will have the money added to their meter, or they will receive a voucher.

How do I get the £650 cost of living payment?

Eight million households on means-tested benefits will get a £650 cost of living payment.

The payments will go to everyone on means-tested benefits, including universal credit, pensions credit, housing benefit, jobseekers’ allowance and income support.

The Department for Work and Pensions will make the payment in two lump sums – the first £325 from July, the second £325 in the autumn.

It means you don’t have to do anything to get the payment – it will be given out automatically.

You will need to be on eligible benefits or have begun a successful claim which is later, as of May 25 2022 to get the first payment.

HMRC and the DWP will set out the eligibility date for the second payment in due course.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk