A ‘Claim Your Energy Voucher Day’ campaign has been launched by the government, encouraging eligible households to apply for the £130m of energy bill vouchers that have yet to be claimed.
The Energy Bill Support Scheme was launched last year, providing all households across the country with £400 of support for energy bills between October and April.
Households with prepayment energy meters were issued with vouchers, and while around 83% of the vouchers have now been redeemed, that still means a lot of money from the state is not being put to use.
The government has launched a campaign, alongside the likes of Which?, National Energy Action and Fuel Bank Foundation, urging households with prepayment meters to claim their vouchers before the deadline of 30 June.
The campaign includes running government adverts in newspapers, at bus stops, in post offices and at train stations to explain how to claim the support.
Amanda Solloway, minister for energy consumers and affordability, said: “We’ve made huge strides in getting nearly £650 million from our Energy Bills Support Scheme out to prepayment meter customers, often in the homes that need it most.
“Today we are redoubling our efforts to reach anyone who still hasn’t claimed this help, and it’s fantastic to see so many join our final push to spread the word.”
Who hasn't claimed their energy vouchers?
Data shows that the fewest households making use of the support are in London, where more than 650,000 vouchers are yet to be claimed. That’s around a third of the total available.
Around a quarter of the vouchers available in Scotland and the south-east of England are also yet to be claimed.
Looking at individual energy suppliers, take-up has been lowest among Utilita Energy customers, where almost a quarter of prepayment vouchers are yet to be cashed in. Among the big suppliers, the lowest take-up has been EDF Energy, at 80%, just ahead of British Gas on 82%.
How to claim your prepayment energy vouchers
Traditional prepayment meter customers get sent a voucher via email, text or post. You then redeem the voucher when you top up.
Vouchers are valid for 90 days. So October, November and December’s vouchers, for example, have already expired.
But if you haven't used them or received them, don't worry. Your energy supplier can reissue expired or lost vouchers, but you'll need to get in touch with them to ask them for a replacement. Contact them as soon as possible.
Reissued vouchers are then valid for another 90 days, and all vouchers must be used by 30 June.
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