Energy suppliers were holding almost £280 million in unclaimed Energy Bills Support Scheme payments, according to figures reported in the Mail on Sunday and published by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition. Over four million monthly payments of £66 or £67 had still to be made to or redeemed by households for the period October 2022 to February 20231.
Half of the total was owed to customers on traditional prepayment meters, who had not cashed in 2.1 million vouchers issued by the firms1. The scheme finished in March 2023, and figures covering March payments were due to be available later that month1.
The coalition said there were no suggestions of wrongdoing, because any money not paid out to consumers will be returned to the Treasury1. It said the figures highlighted the problem of energy firms not passing payments on to people in need1.
A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, which is part of the Warm This Winter campaign, said:
"In some cases, energy firms have been far too slow to pass on these vital funds to customers who may have spent the winter living in cold damp homes."
The coalition added that prepayment meter voucher redemption figures were "particularly worrying", describing those customers as often among the most vulnerable and as having paid more for their energy in the first place1. Energy firms told the Mail on Sunday they would also urge customers to claim the payments1.
Separate figures issued by the government under Freedom of Information rules to The Times suggested the number of prepayment meter vouchers still to be cashed in stood at 341,0001. The coalition noted that official published data suggests this figure is the number of vouchers paid to energy firms but not yet delivered to households, rather than the number not redeemed by customers1. The two figures therefore measure different things.
| Reported figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Payments still to be made or redeemed, October 2022 to February 2023 | Over four million |
| Value of missed payments | Almost £280 million |
| Share owed to traditional prepayment meter customers | Half |
| Prepayment vouchers not cashed in | 2.1 million |
| Prepayment vouchers still to be cashed in (FOI figure to The Times) | 341,000 |
Why it matters for households
The Energy Bills Support Scheme paid monthly instalments of £66 or £67, with separate arrangements for prepayment customers and for households in Northern Ireland1. Where a payment was never made or a voucher never redeemed, the household did not receive money it was entitled to, and the unspent balance returns to the Treasury rather than staying with the supplier1.
For a household on a traditional prepayment meter, the practical effect is a gap between support announced and support received, at a time when the coalition says many such customers spent the winter in cold damp homes1. The coalition said payments can still be made and vouchers can be reissued, and that customers who believe they are missing a payment or voucher should contact their supplier1.
For a home's energy independence, the episode illustrates a limit of bill-level support: money routed through suppliers depends on the supplier reaching the household, and prepayment customers sit furthest from that chain. The coalition's own framing is that firms need to "up their game significantly to end this breakdown in customer service"1.
What happens next
Figures including March 2023 payments were expected to be available later in May 20231. The coalition said payments can still be made and vouchers reissued, and directed customers who believe they are missing a payment to contact their supplier1. No further timetable for recovery of the outstanding amounts has been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Energy firms holding £280m of cash meant for customers, endfuelpoverty.org.uk