Households on traditional prepayment meters urged to ‘use or lose’ energy bill vouchers

The government is calling on anyone who tops up their energy via a traditional prepayment electricity meter (PPM), to redeem money-off vouchers before they expire on 30^th June.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme, which ran between October 2022 to March 2023, enabled households to save £400 off the cost of their energy bills over the course of the six months. Whilst most households received this discount automatically via their energy supplier, traditional PPM users were required to redeem monthly vouchers sent to them by their supplier for use at either Post Office or PayPoint top-up points.

Around 80 per cent of vouchers have now been redeemed, however, there is still £160 million left unclaimed and government is therefore calling on anyone with friends or family on a PPM electricity meter to make sure all eligible households benefit.

Claiming a voucher is simple. PPM users should bring their voucher, ID and energy prepayment key or card to the top up point specified by their energy supplier. Vouchers can then be redeemed in store immediately.

Previously issued vouchers expire after 90 days but can be reissued before 30^th June. If a person thinks that they have missed their vouchers, they should contact their energy supplier.  All vouchers must be used by 30^th June.

For more information, visit gov.uk/helpforhouseholds and click ‘Energy Bills’.

Advice for PPM customers

• Do you, or someone you know, top up electricity using a prepayment key or card, also known as a traditional prepayment meter?
• If so, did you receive your £400 energy bill vouchers, which you should have received in instalments between the months of October 2022 and March 2023?
• There is still time to claim if you haven’t, but you need to do so before the deadline.  Vouchers must be used by 30^th June.
• Vouchers should have been issued to you by post, email or SMS message by your electricity supplier. If you don’t think you have received your vouchers, or if your voucher has been lost, destroyed or expired, you should contact your supplier who can reissue your voucher. This also must be done before 30^th
• If you don’t know who your supplier is, check your top up receipts or visit ukpowernetworks.co.uk and use the search tool under ‘FAQs’. You’ll need your address and an email address to find out who your electricity supplier is.
• Claiming a voucher is simple:
  • 1) Take your vouchers to either a Post Office or PayPoint shop (as shown on the voucher)
  • 2) Bring ID that matches the details on the voucher and your meter key/ card. Some examples of ID include: A recent bank statement or household bill, valid passport, valid driving licence, UK Biometric Residency Permit, Asylum ID Card, other photo ID.
• Remember, this is money you are owed from the government. You won’t need to pay it back.
• If you know people on an electricity meter, check they have received and used their vouchers.