190,000 households could miss out on free £150 if they don’t respond to letter
Over 190,000 Brits could miss out on a free £150 discount on their energy bills this winter.
The discount comes from the government's Warm Home Discount scheme. This scheme – which is delivered by the Department for Energy and Net Zero – gives households claiming certain government benefits a £150 discount on their electricity bills between October and March each year.
This year's scheme started on October 14, and households began receiving letters letting them know they were eligible. However, how you receive the discount depends on your meter and how you pay for your energy. The money is paid directly into the energy account as credit – rather than into your bank account – by the supplier if you are paying by direct debit or on receipt of bill. People who have smart prepayment meters also have the discount applied automatically.
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However, households with older, traditional prepayment meters that require a key or card for top-ups cannot receive the discount directly. Instead, they are issued vouchers to redeem at their local top-up point.
According to the Sun, the Post office has been issuing these vouchers on behalf of British Gas, E.ON Next, Ovo Energy, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, and Good Energy since October 21. Since it started, around 190,000 Warm Home Discounts letters have been issued so far worth a combined £ 28.5 million.
Kevin Elson, postmaster at Bache Post Office, told the paper: "We know many people are worried about the cost of their energy bills as the colder weather starts to set in. £150 can make a big difference, especially to people who are on pay-as-you-go meter. That's why postmasters, like me, and our teams stand ready to help and ensure that people can easily redeem their vouchers."
Each of the letters will have a deadline for when you can claim the £150 voucher. Usually, this varies between 30 and 90 days from the point of issue. Your letter will clearly state this deadline date. If your voucher is lost or expires, you can contact your supplier to have it reissued.
To claim the discount at your local post office branch, you will need to present the voucher to the counter staff and provide ID such as your driving licence and passport, along with your utility bill – both your ID, your bill, and your letter must have the same name on them. Your letter will detail exactly what you need to bring along.
If someone is assisting you in redeeming the voucher, they will need to bring your ID and utility bill, as well as their own ID. The Post Office staff will scan the barcode on your voucher or manually enter the code. They will then apply the £150 credit directly to your prepayment energy meter key or card.
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