Prepayment meter users

If you are on a prepayment meter, you will receive the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme. These payments will be made monthly from October to March, totalling £400 overall.

You'll get the £400 in 6 instalments.

If you have a smart prepayment meter

You should get the discount by the 14th day of each month. If you don't, speak to your supplier.

If your smart meter is working in smart mode, the discount will be added directly to your smart meter.

You can check if your smart meter's working in smart mode.

If your smart meter isn't working in smart mode

Smart mode means your meter should automatically send readings to your supplier. If it's not working in smart mode, you'll need to send regular meter readings yourself.

Your supplier might not be able to add the discount directly to your smart meter. They'll usually send it by text message, email or post as either:

• a code you can use to top up online
• a voucher

You can only use your voucher for your own energy accounts. However, you might be able to choose to use it for gas or electricity, even if you have different suppliers for these.

Contact your supplier(s) who will tell you where and how you can use your voucher.

If you get vouchers, you'll need to redeem them at a top-up point. Your supplier will tell you where to redeem them, for example at a Post Office branch or a PayPoint shop.

Payzone outlets are unable to accept the vouchers.

You'll need to show a UK driving licence or utility bill with the same name and address as your energy account.

If you have a traditional prepayment meter

You'll get the discount as either:

• redeemable vouchers, sent by SMS text, email or post
• an automatic credit when you top up at your usual top up point

Your supplier will tell you in advance how you'll get your discount.

Your supplier should have your contact details, but if you're not sure or you don't receive any information from them, you should check that they have your latest number and email.

If you get an automatic credit but you can't afford to top up, speak to your supplier. They might be able to send you a voucher.

If you get a voucher

Your supplier will send the voucher by text message, email or post by the 14th day of each month.

You can only use your voucher for your own energy accounts. However, you might be able to choose to use it for gas or electricity, even if you have different suppliers for these.

Contact your supplier(s) who will tell you where and how  you can use your voucher.

If you get vouchers you'll need to redeem them at a top-up point. Your supplier will tell you where to redeem them, for example at a Post Office branch or a PayPoint shop.

Payzone outlets are unable to accept the vouchers.

You'll need to show a UK driving licence or utility bill with the same name and address as your energy account.

Check if something is an energy scam

Scammers have different ways of getting hold of personal information or bank details. For example, by pretending to: 

• be a supplier offering a refund
• be from Ofgem, asking for information so you can get the £400 energy rebate
• be a debt collector asking for money owed to a supplier that's gone out of business 
• offer green home improvement grants
• offer energy investment opportunities
• offer cheap prepayment meter top up keys or cards
• offer energy-saving devices

You can get advice about how to check if something is a scam on the Citizens Advice website.

Energy Price Guarantee

The Energy Price Guarantee will be applied to the rate you pay for each unit of energy, so the money you put on the meter will last longer than would otherwise have been the case this winter.

There's no need to apply and you won't need any vouchers. The discount will be applied automatically by your supplier.

Advice if you can't afford to top up your prepayment meter

You can get temporary credit if you can't afford to top up your meter.

Your supplier might add this to your meter automatically when you run out of credit, or you might have to contact them and ask.

Find out more about what you can do if you can't afford to top up your prepayment meter.