MILLIONS of households are bracing for a tough winter ahead but there is help on offer.
Energy bills are predicted to reach over £6,000 next April, according to experts at consultancy Auxilione.
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However, the government announced a raft of supportive measures for the most vulnerable households earlier this year.
Among them was a £400 energy rebate for 29 million households.
The £400 discount will be divvied out by energy suppliers and handed to customers over six months, with payments starting from October this year.
Households will receive a £66 discount applied to their energy bills in October and November, rising to £67 each month from December through to March next year.
The money is being handed out in autumn as that’s generally when bills go up as people try to stay warm.
But how you get the £400 payment will depend on how you pay for your energy.
Below, we list the different ways you’ll receive your rebate.
Direct debit
Customers who pay for their energy bills via direct debit will receive the rebate automatically as a deduction to their monthly payments.
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But some will also be refunded after their monthly direct debit is charged.
In either case, you won’t have to do anything as the payments will be made automatically.
Standard credit
Standard credit customers and payment card customers will receive the £400 in instalments and as a credit which will be applied to their account in the first week of each eligible month.
So again, you won’t have to do anything as the payment will be made to you.
Smart pre-payment meter
If you’re on a smart pre-payment meter, the money will be credited to your account automatically in the first week of each month when payments are due to be made.
That means £66 in the first weeks of October and November, and £67 in the first weeks of December to March.
Pre-payment meters
Unlike customers who pay for their energy through the three other methods, those on pre-payment meters will have to take action to get their rebate.
They’ll be given redeemable discount vouchers or Special Action Messages (SAMs) from the first week of each payable month.
These SAMs will be sent via text, email or post.
Customers will then have to redeem these at their usual top-up point.
What other cost of living payments are there?
Alongside the £400 energy rebate, there are a number of other payments being made to vulnerable households.
There’s the £650 cost of living payment, which has been split into two instalments of £326 and £324.
Around eight million households should be in line for the entire £650.
The majority of the eight million cohort should have already received their first payment, while the remaining amount on tax credits will start receiving it from next week.
A £300 cost of living payment for over eight million pensioner households is to be paid alongside the Winter Fuel Payment.
The payment will be made in November or December and payments should be made by January 13.
Around six million are in line for a one-off £150 disability cost of living payment.
The government announced today the cohort will get the payments from September 20.
And council’s are handing out their share of the Household Support Fund as well.
We previously revealed a break down of all the key cost of living payment dates.
If you’re worried about falling behind on bills, there are plenty of organisations where you can get advice for free, including:
