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All households in England, Scotland and Wales are set to receive £400 in energy bill discounts as part of the new cost of living help package by the government – and here’s everything you need to know about how and when you’ll get the payments.

The money, part of the Energy Bill Support Scheme, will be paid in six instalments. Households will see a discount of £66 applied to their energy bills in October and November, and £67 a month in December, January, February and March.

All households are eligible for the full £400, regardless of income or size of house.

How do you get your £400 energy bill discount?

How you receive your money will depend on how you pay your bill. The methods are as follows:

  • If you pay by direct debit your discount will automatically be deducted from your bill.
  • If you are a standard credit/debit card customer, your credit will be automatically applied to your account.
  • If you use a smart prepayment device, you will see an automatic monthly top-up added to your account.
  • If you use a traditional payment meter you will need to cash in a voucher at the Post Office or other top-up centres (you should receive your energy bill discount voucher in the first week of each month, via text, email or in the post).

The energy price cap – the maximum amount suppliers can charge customers in England, Scotland and Wales – is expected to go up in October. In May, energy regulator Ofgem said the typical household should expect to see an £800 increase in October, to £2,800 a year.

You can find out more here through the government’s explainer.