How your £400 energy bill rebate will start being paid within DAYS – including British Gas and EDF

MILLIONS of households are set to start receiving a £400 discount off their energy bills from October 1.

Around 29 million households in England, Scotland and Wales will receive the rebate through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

It will be paid in six monthly instalments from October until March 2023.

Households will see a discount of £66 applied to their bills in October and November, and £67 in December, January, February and March.

But energy suppliers are applying the discount in different ways.

British Gas, EDF Energy, Ovo Energy and Scottish Power have confirmed they will credit the discount to customers’ bank accounts for those paying their bills by direct debit.

Bulb, E.ON and E.ON Next, Shell Energy, Octopus Energy, So Energy, Utilita and Utility Warehouse will not pay the discount into customer bank accounts.

Those on credit meters and smart prepayment meters will be paid the £400 discount automatically over a six month period.

However, it’s up to your energy firm to decide whether they give out the discount as a cash payment or as a bill credit.

Below, we reveal how British Gas, Bulb, E.ON, E.ON Next, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, Shell Energy, SSE and Ovo, Octopus Energy, Utilita and Utility Warehouse are applying the discount.

Which energy firms are paying the rebate directly into bank accounts?

British Gas

British Gas, with 10million customers, has revealed those who pay by direct debit can expect to pay their bills as normal each month.

They will then receive the £400 discount as direct payments into their bank account spread over the six-month period.

Those with bills less than the monthly refund will get the money refunded and the remaining amount added to their account.

So if your bill is £45 in October, you will get £21 added to your account because the monthly discount is worth £66.

Customers on traditional prepayment meters will get their discount via vouchers which they will have to cash in the normal way.

EDF

EDF has confirmed its 5.2million customers who pay by monthly direct debit will pay their bill as normal.

They will then receive the discount in cash directly into their bank account after a successful bill payment is made.

Non-direct debit payers will see the energy rebate automatically credited to their energy account in the first week of each month.

Those on smart prepayment meters will receive the discount automatically through a credit on their device.

Scottish Power

Scottish Power customers will be expected to pay their bills as normal and then receive the cash discount back as a payment into their bank account.

Ovo Energy

Ovo Energy (and SSE) customers will see the £400 discount instalments credited to their bank account after a successful direct debit payment has gone through.

Those on smart prepayment meters will see the discount instalments credited to their electricity meter.

Customers on smart prepayment meters will receive the discount remotely through a credit on their device.

Which energy firms are NOT paying the rebate directly into bank accounts?

Bulb

Bulb customers will receive the discount automatically and their direct debits will be adjusted accordingly.

Those on smart prepayment meters will have the amount credited to their electricity account.

E.ON and E.ON Next

E.ON has confirmed how its 3.8million customers will get their hands on the £400 energy bill discount.

Those who pay by direct debit that are on a fixed energy tariff will see the rebate amount deducted from their monthly payment amounts.

If a customer’s payments are less than £66/67, the firm will reduce payments to £0 and add the extra as an account credit.

Customers on the standard variable tariff that pay by direct debit will see the rebate added as a credit on to their account each month.

Any excess credit will be carried over to the following month.

Those on smart prepayment meters will also receive the payment as a split credit to their gas and electricity meters.

Shell Energy

Shell Energy‘s 1million customers will see the six discounts deducted from their bills before their direct debit is taken.

Non-direct debit payers will see the discount appear on their bill as an extra payment, so they’ll also owe less than they normally would.

Smart prepayment meter customers will receive the monthly payment direct to their meters as a credit.

Octopus Energy

Octopus Energy customers will get an automatic monthly credit of £66 in October and November and then £67 between December and March.

The credit should automatically reduce customer monthly payments.

If a customer’s direct debit payment is less than £67, the firm will look to apply a payment holiday (reducing certain direct debits to £0) and credit their account with the remaining amount.

For smart prepayment customers, the discount will be added directly onto their meter as a credit.

So Energy

Fixed direct debit customers will get the monthly discount as credit on their So Energy account, typically in the first week of the month.

The firm will also include the discount when they review your monthly direct debit payments. This discount will then be used to set your monthly Direct Debit £66/£67 lower than it otherwise would be.

Those paying by variable direct debit or on receipt of bills will have the discount applied as a credit on to their So Energy account.

Smart prepayment meter customers will see the discount applied to their So Energy account, typically in the first week of the month. This credit will then reduce the amount customers will need to top-up.

Utilita

The six payments worth £66-67 will be automatically added as a credit to your account. That means the cash will reduce your overall bill.

Those on smart prepayment meters will be credited automatically.

Those on traditional prepayment meters will get the discount in voucher form.

Utility Warehouse

Like Shell Energy, Utility Warehouse customers on fixed energy tariffs and the standard variable tariff will see the discount come off their bill.

Customer direct debits will be adjusted before each monthly bill to reflect that the customer has received the discount.

Customers on smart prepayment meters will receive the discount remotely through a credit on their device.

What other energy bill help can I get?

From October 1, millions of households will start receiving a £400 energy rebate.

The payment will be made to your energy supplier who will then deduct it from your bill.

Households will receive a £66 discount in October and November, and a £67 one every month from December to March.

Millions of pensioners who usually get the Winter Fuel Allowance will receive £300 on top from November.

Some households are set to get a £150 Warm Home Discount between December and March 2023 as well.

You might also be able to get an energy grant from your supplier.

British Gas is offering one, as well as Bulb Energy, EDF, E.on, Octopus Energy, Ovo Energy and Scottish Power.

You can also get free debt advice from:

• Money Helper – 0800 138 7777
• Citizens Advice – 0808 800 9060
• StepChange – 0800 138 1111
• National Debtline – 0808 808 4000