In October 2022 the Chancellor announced a review into energy support led by the Treasury1. The announcement is recorded by the disability charity Scope in its cost of living report, which sets out how disabled people are faring under the current support arrangements1.
Scope's report states that the Energy Price Guarantee is universal and not targeted at those who need support, such as households with a disabled person1. It also records that the £150 rebate on energy bills delivered through the Warm Home Discount is welcomed, but that eligibility changes have meant 290,000 disabled people have been removed from the scheme1. The charity says the £150 payment made in October 2022 is likely to have been used already1.
The report gives figures on how far existing payments stretch. Of disabled people eligible for the £650 cost of living payment, 57 per cent said it would not be enough to cover their increased costs for essentials, and 80 per cent of those receiving the £150 cost of living payment said the same1. Scope's Disability Energy Support service has seen a 500 per cent increase in referrals compared with the same time the previous year, and in September 2022 alone 44,000 people accessed its cost of living advice and support, a 72 per cent increase year on year1.
"In October 2022, the Chancellor announced a review into energy support led by the Treasury."
The report also sets out the charity's own recommendations, including an energy social tariff for disabled customers who need to use more energy, which 86 per cent of disabled people surveyed supported1. It calls for the further £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment to be brought forward from 2023, and for the recent eligibility changes to the Warm Home Discount and Energy Company Obligation scheme to be reversed1. On standing charges, it suggests Ofgem could mandate that they are paused for disabled households over winter; 83 per cent of disabled people polled supported this and 3 per cent opposed it1.
| Measure | Figure reported |
|---|---|
| Disabled people removed from Warm Home Discount after eligibility changes | 290,0001 |
| Eligible for £650 payment who said it would not cover increased essentials costs | 57%1 |
| Receiving £150 payment who said it would not cover increased essentials costs | 80%1 |
| Support for an energy social tariff | 86%1 |
| Support for pausing standing charges over winter | 83%1 |
Why it matters for households
The review concerns the shape of energy support rather than its level, and the report records no outcome from it. For households, the practical question is whether support is delivered through universal measures such as the energy price cap and the Energy Price Guarantee, or through targeted payments tied to benefits and eligibility. Scope's evidence is that the universal route leaves disabled households, which often use more energy, carrying costs the payments do not cover1. The charity's figures on debt point the same way: 58 per cent of callers to its energy helpline have benefits as their sole income and face average debts of £1,417.20, while 43 per cent of callers to its Disability Energy Support service are in debt by an average of £1,3511. Eligibility changes matter directly to a household's energy independence, because schemes such as the Warm Home Discount reduce the bill before it is paid, whereas a payment made once is spent once1.
What happens next
The report states that in the Government's Autumn Statement 2022, local councils will receive £1 billion to fund Household Support Fund payments1. Scope says awareness of the fund among disabled people is low, with only 8 per cent saying they successfully applied1. No date has been reported for the conclusion of the Treasury-led review1.