Energy customers all across the UK will begin receiving a discount on their monthly bills from the end of this week.
The Energy Bills Support Scheme will see every UK household get a total of £400 taken off energy bills across the winter period. Starting on October 1, the discount will be applied in six instalments until the end of March 2023 - being applied each month.
For October and November, £66 each month will be taken off monthly bills while £67 will be taken off each month for December, January, February, and March. Even if you pay your energy bills quarterly, a discount will still be applied monthly, according to the government.
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Depending on who your supplier is and how you pay for your bills, you may see the discount applied differently. However, it's important to note that regardless of how you pay your bill, every energy customer across the country is eligible for the discount without needing to apply on behalf of your supplier.
Here's a breakdown of how all the major British energy suppliers will dish out the energy discount over the coming winter period.
British Gas
British Gas confirmed that all of its customers will receive the Energy Bills Support Scheme. Customers will pay their bills as normal. Then, the supplier will send the £66 or £67 straight to your bank account each month once a direct debit payment has gone through - similar to a refund.
If your monthly direct debit is lower than the monthly discount value, the remaining balance will instead be applied to your energy account. However, if you pay by cheque or quarterly cash, then the discount will be applied to your account balance each month.
If you pay by smart prepayment meter then the discount will be applied to your meter each month, similar to a top-up. If you use a traditional prepayment meter, then you will receive the discount via vouchers which can be used to top up like usual.
For more information for British Gas customers, check the supplier's updates here.
Scottish Power
Scottish Power has informed its customers that the way they pay their bills will affect exactly how they receive the discount. The supplier's website states:
- If you pay by monthly Direct Debit, the discount will be issued as a refund to your bank account after we’ve collected your Direct Debit.
- If you pay by credit or payment card, the discount will be automatically applied to your energy account during the first week of each month and you’ll see the discount on your next bill.
- If you have a smart prepayment meter, we’ll automatically apply the discount to your meter in the first week of each month.
- If you have a traditional prepayment meter, we’ll send you vouchers every month by email or post. You can then simply take your voucher to any PayPoint outlet to have the value added to your payment device.
The energy company has also stressed that there will be no need to contact them or sign up for the discount.
For more information for Scottish Power customers, check the supplier's updates here.
EDF Energy
EDF customers who pay with direct debit will be expected to do so each month from October (if they do so already). Once the payment has been confirmed a discount will be sent straight to the payer's bank account.
All 5.2 million EDF customers will be eligible for the discount with non-direct debit customers receiving automatic credit added onto their account in the first week of each month. Meanwhile, those on smart prepayment meters will also receive the discount automatically through added credit.
For more information for EDF customers, check the supplier's updates here.
Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy customers will receive their energy discount via automatic monthly credit between October and March. The credit will be applied to reduce a customer's monthly bill payment.
However, if a customer's energy payment is less than £67, then the supplier will investigate a payment holiday - reducing direct debits to £0.
For more information for Octopus Energy customers, check the supplier's updates here.
OVO Energy
Ovo energy customers will see the energy discount be applied to their bank accounts following a successful direct debit payment. Smart prepayment meter customers will see the discount land directly to their meter via credit.
For more information for OVO Energy customers, check the supplier's updates here.
Shell Energy
Similar to other energy suppliers, Shell's one million customers will see the discount automatically taken from their bills before a direct debit is taken. Meanwhile, non-direct debit payers will see the discount show up on their bills as an extra payment.
Smart prepayment meter customers will also see their monthly discount be added directly to their meter as credit.
For more information for Shell Energy customers, check the supplier's updates here.
So Energy
Direct debit So customers will see the monthly discount be applied to their account as credit - usually on the first week of the month. The discount will be included when the supplier reviews a customer's direct debit payments.
If a customer is paying by variable direct debit, then the discount will be applied as credit onto their account. Meanwhile, smart meter customers will see the discount applied directly to their accounts.
For more information for So Energy customers, check the supplier's updates here.
E.ON
3.8 million E.ON customers will receive the discount with those on fixed energy tariff and paying direct debate seeing the rebate taken from their monthly payments. However, if a customer's payments are less than £66/£67, the supplier will reduce payments to £0 and add the extra as a credit on their account.
For more information for E.ON customers, check the supplier's updates here.
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