The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has said that £160 million in energy bill support for customers on prepayment meters is yet to be claimed, though £780 million has been delivered.
The government is urging those on prepayment meters to apply for the vouchers, which allow up to £400 savings off energy bills.
£620 million in support vouchers have so far been redeemed by customers out of £780 million in Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) vouchers sent to customers. Direct Debit customers will have had received the £400 automatically.
DESNZ says that the EBSS vouchers and energy cap “saw the government cover half of a typical household energy bill over the winter – driving forward the government’s priority to halve inflation.” The government has also announced an extension of the Energy Price Guarantee, which caps energy prices.
Amanda Solloway, the government’s Consumer Energy Minister, urged eligible consumers to take up the scheme, which ends on 30 June. The 2.4 million outstanding vouchers can be redeemed at local Post Offices or PayPoints.
Solloway said that “even as the warmer weather sets in I urge anyone on a traditional prepayment meter to act now if they haven’t redeemed their voucher.”
The EBSS has seen more than £11.4 billion given to 28 million households across the UK to help with energy costs. London has the highest unclaimed proportion of vouchers with about a third still available, with 26% in Scotland and the South East also unclaimed. The government is urging energy suppliers to use the data to target support where it is needed.
