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Between Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023, the Government issued an Energy Support grant totalling £400 to all households with a domestic electricity account in England, Scotland and Wales. The grant was paid in six monthly instalments and applied automatically to households with credit and/or smart meters. Those with traditional pre-payment meters, were issued with vouchers by their energy supplier. The vouchers for traditional pre-payment meter customers needed to be redeemed for the grant payments to be applied to their accounts.
Despite the cost of living crisis and increasing difficulty for many households to keep on top of their expenses, nearly two million Energy Support vouchers have not been redeemed. These unredeemed vouchers are estimated to be worth around £130,000,000 and will expire on 30 June 2023, unless the electricity account holder takes action to redeem them.
Vouchers dated within the last 90 days
Customers with unredeemed Energy Support grant vouchers dated within the last 90 days, need to take them along with some form of identification, to a PayPoint or Post Office by 30 June 2023, to have the money added to their top-up meter card or key. If this action is not taken by the end of June 2023, the money cannot be subsequently claimed.
Vouchers that are more than 90 days old
Customers with unredeemed Energy Support grant vouchers that are more than 90 days old, need to contact their energy provider to have them reissued. Once reissued, customers need to take the vouchers along with some form of identification, to a PayPoint or Post Office by 30 June 2023, to have the money added to their top-up meter card or key. If this action is not taken by the end of June 2023, the money cannot be subsequently claimed.
Eligible customers under the scheme, can also contact their energy supplier to have lost vouchers reissued or vouchers issued, if they have not been previously. However upon receipt, the above action still needs undertaking, for the money to be credited to their account.
Some form of identification needs to be provided when redeeming the Energy Support vouchers. However photographic identification is not always required. A recent household bill showing the customer’s name and address, will often be sufficient. If photographic identification is not available, contact your energy supplier to see what alternative forms of identification are acceptable.