A THIRD of British households still haven’t claimed their monthly £66 to help with soaring energy bills, Grant Shapps warned this week.
The Business Secretary issued a plea for families to check that they have received all the cost of living help they can get this winter.
Grant Shapps has urged Brits to check whether they have claimed all the cost of living help they are eligible for this year
Households are eligible for £400 over six months to go towards their energy bills.
Most Brits will benefit from the money through automatic deductions in their bills, coming in six instalments.
But for those using prepayment meters, funds need to be claimed separately using vouchers distributed by energy suppliers.
This week Mr Shapps warned one third of those using top-up meters haven’t claimed their monthly handout.
He told Good Morning Britain: “What concerns me is that gap between vouchers being sent out and people finding the voucher.
“There isn’t one way that this is done because the energy providers are sending them out in different ways, sometimes by text, sometimes by email, sometimes through the door.”
Customers have been urged to check their emails and post boxes for the vouchers.
Different suppliers are using different methods to send them out – you can visit your provider’s website or call them to find out how they are doing it.
Once a voucher has been located, energy rebates can be most often be claimed at Post Office, PayPoint and PayZone outlets.
Specific details about which outlet to claim from will be listed on the voucher document.
A spokesperson for industry group Energy UK said: “Suppliers are doing everything possible to ensure that the vouchers are reaching customers and will make repeated attempts using the channels – such as text, email, phone or post – and contact details available to them.
“Customers with traditional prepayment meters are advised to ensure their contact details are up to date and to check regularly for any communication from their supplier.
“With more customers seeking more help than ever before, call centres are inevitably very busy so we’d urge callers to keep trying.”
