How to claim Energy Bills Support scheme voucher – as June deadline nears

Published

2 years ago

June 26, 2023

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More than £100m of vouchers in the government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme have still not been claimed, with only a few days to go before the deadline.

Households on prepayment meters have been told to redeem their vouchers by 30 June – in a final push to help those yet to benefit from a discount on their bills during the spiralling cost of living crisis.

Here’s everything you need to know before Friday’s deadline.

What is the Energy Bills Support Scheme?

The Energy Bills Support Scheme was put in place to give households a £400 discount on their energy bills during the winter between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023 in England, Scotland and Wales.

In Northern Ireland, people could get £600 under the Northern Ireland Energy Bills Support Scheme.

The discount was sent automatically to those paying by direct debit, with six instalments of £66 or £67 sent each month over the winter.

People on traditional prepayment meters were due to receive vouchers by text, email or post which they could redeem when they top up at their usual point.

However, many on prepayment meters, often the most vulnerable, have not taken advantage of the government discount.

How do I know if I am eligible?

“All households with a domestic electricity connection in England, Scotland and Wales were eligible for the discount,” the government website has said.

And you will still get the discount if:

• You have changed your payment method or tariff

• If you have switched electricity suppliers

• If you have moved to a new address

• If your supplier goes bust

• If you’re currently in arrears on your electricity bill payments

How can I claim my vouchers?

According to the government website, if you have a traditional prepayment meter, you automatically got a discount each month either as a redeemable voucher sent by text, email or post, or an automatic credit when you topped up at your usual top-up point.

Remember, vouchers expire after 90 days, but you can ask your electricity supplier to reissue the vouchers before the deadline.

Once you get your voucher, you’ll need to take it to the Post Office or a PayPoint shop to add it to your gas or electricity top-up key or card.

How did other people get their discounts?

If you have a smart prepayment meter, your discount was credited directly to your smart meter in the first week of each month, according to the government website.

If you pay by credit or debit card, your discount was automatically applied to your account.

If you make your payments by direct debit, you got the discount automatically either as a reduction to your monthly bill or a refund was made to your account.

Do I need proof of ID to redeem the vouchers?

Yes, but this depends on your energy supplier, so be sure to check the company’s website before going to claim your vouchers.

Proof of ID or address includes:

• Bank statement

• UK driving licence

• Household bill

• UK passport

• Council tax bill

With the deadline closing in, people are being urged to redeem their vouchers.

So far, London has had the lowest redemption rate for a month.

In the city, there were more than 650,000 vouchers unclaimed at the end of March when the scheme was supposed to have ended.

The list of areas with the percentage of vouchers not redeemed are:

Cities of London and Westminster – 44%

Hampstead and Kilburn – 44%

Ealing Central and Acton – 41%

Brent Central – 39%

Finchley and Golders Green – 39%

Glasgow Central – 38%

Hendon – 36%

Westminster North – 35%

Chelsea and Fulham – 35%

Hornsey and Wood Green – 35%

Brighton Pavilion – 34%

Holborn and St Pancras – 32%

Greenwich and Woolwich – 31%

Ealing North – 31%

Ilford North – 30%

‘The support that keeps their lights on’

Fuel poverty charity National Energy Action (NEA) said people should take advantage of the vouchers and redeem them before the deadline. Those with unclaimed vouchers are urged to contact their electricity supplier as soon as possible.

NEA chief executive Adam Scorer said the NEA “knows how crucial the government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme has been. The £400, paid in six instalments of £66 or £67, has helped many people this winter.

“But prepayment customers – often some of the most vulnerable – were paid in vouchers and millions remains unclaimed. Some customers didn’t receive them, others struggled to redeem them.”

Mr Scorer said the discount “may be the support that keeps their lights on, their oven cooking, their hot showers running, through the summer. It’s vital money at a time when it’s never been needed more.”

Business

Woman and three teenagers arrested over M&S, Co-op and Harrods cyber attacks

Published

6 hours ago

July 10, 2025

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Woman and three teenagers arrested over M&S, Co-op and Harrods cyber attacks

Four people have been arrested by police investigating cyber attacks targeting M&S, Co-op and Harrods.

A 20-year-old woman and two males, both aged 19, and a male aged 17, were detained in London and the West Midlands this morning as part of a National Crime Agency (NCA) operation.

They were arrested at their homes on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences, blackmail, money laundering and participating in the activities of an organised crime group.

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Electronic devices were seized from the suspects and are currently being analysed by forensic experts.

M&S halted online orders, and shelves were empty in shops after the cyber attack on the retailer earlier this year.

The initial hack into the retailer’s systems took place in April through “sophisticated impersonation” involving a third party.

Disruption is expected to continue at the retailer until the end of this month.

The Co-op and Harrods were also subsequently targeted by hackers.

Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National cybercrime unit described the arrests as a “significant step” in their investigation, which remains “one of the Agency’s highest priorities”.

He added: “…our work continues, alongside partners in the UK and overseas, to ensure those responsible are identified and brought to justice.”

The National Crime Agency is keen to “signal” to “future victims” the “importance of seeking support and engaging with law enforcement”, stating that “the NCA and policing are here to help”.

The NCA has also thanked M&S, Co-op and Harrods for their support in their investigations.

The arrests, which took place early on Thursday morning, were supported by officers from the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit.

Earlier this week, the chairman of M&S told MPs that the hack had been “traumatic” and like an “out-of-body experience”.

Archie Norman, however, refused to be drawn on whether the retailer had paid any ransom.

“We are not discussing any of the details of our interaction with the threat actor, including this subject, but that subject is fully shared with the NCA,” he said.

It is estimated that the cyber attack will cost M&S up to £300m this year.

Days after M&S was attacked, the Co-op was targeted and forced to shut down some internal systems.

Harrods was then hacked, and also had to shut some systems despite its website and shops continuing to operate.

Of those arrested, a 17-year-old British male and a 19-year-old Latvian male were from the West Midlands.

A 19-year-old man was from London and a 20-year-old woman from Staffordshire.

Business

US-listed Ulta Beauty swoops on high street chain Space NK

Published

9 hours ago

July 10, 2025

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US-listed Ulta Beauty swoops on high street chain Space NK

A New York-listed company with a valuation of more than $21bn is to snap up Space NK, the British high street beauty chain.

Sky News has learnt that Ulta Beauty, which operates close to 1,500 stores, is on the verge of a deal to buy Space NK from existing owner Manzanita Capital.

Ulta Beauty is understood to have registered an acquisition vehicle at Companies House in recent weeks.

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The exact price being paid by Ulta was unclear on Thursday morning, although one source said it was likely to be well in excess of £300m.

Manzanita Capital, a private investment firm, engaged bankers at Raymond James to oversee an auction in April 2024.

The firm has owned Space NK for more than 20 years.

Manzanita has also owned the French perfume house Diptyque and Susanne Kaufmann, an Austrian luxury skincare brand.

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Founded in 1993 by Nicky Kinnaird, Space NK – which is named after her initials – trades from dozens of stores and employs more than 1,000 people.

It specialises in high-end skincare and cosmetics products.

Manzanita previously explored a sale of Space NK in 2018, hiring Goldman Sachs to handle a strategic review, but opted not to proceed with a deal.

None of Ulta, Manzanita, Space NK and Raymond James could be reached for comment.

Business

Royal Mail to scrap second-class post on Saturdays and some weekdays

Published

11 hours ago

July 10, 2025

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Royal Mail to scrap second-class post on Saturdays and some weekdays

Royal Mail is to be allowed to scrap Saturday second-class stamp deliveries, under a series of reforms proposed by the communications regulator.

From 28 July, Royal Mail will also be allowed to deliver second-class letters on alternate weekdays, Ofcom said.

The post will still be delivered within three working days of collection from Monday to Friday.

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The proposals had already been raised by Ofcom after a consultation was announced in 2024, and the scale back was proposed early this year.

Royal Mail had repeatedly failed to meet the so-called universal service obligation to deliver post within set periods of time.

Those delivery targets are now being revised downwards.

Rather than having to have 93% of first-class mail delivered the next day, 90% will be legally allowed.

The target for second-class mail deliveries will be lowered from 98.5% to arrive within three working days to 95%.

A review of stamp prices has also been announced by Ofcom amid concerns over affordability, with a consultation set to be launched next year.

It’s good news for Royal Mail and its new owner, the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky. Ofcom estimates the changes will bring savings of between £250m and £425m.

A welcome change?

Unsurprisingly, the company welcomed the announcement.

“It is good news for customers across the UK as it supports the delivery of a reliable, efficient and financially sustainable universal service,” said Martin Seidenberg, the group chief executive of Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distribution Services.

“It follows extensive consultation with thousands of people and businesses to ensure that the postal service better reflects their needs and the realities of how customers send and receive mail today.”

Citizens Advice, however, doubted whether services would improve as a result of the changes.

“Today, Ofcom missed a major opportunity to bring about meaningful change,” said Tom MacInnes, the director of policy at Citizens Advice.

“Pushing ahead with plans to slash services and relax delivery targets in the name of savings won’t automatically make letter deliveries more reliable or improve standards.”

Acknowledging long delays “where letters have taken weeks to arrive”, Ofcom said it set Royal Mail new enforceable targets so 99% of mail has to be delivered no more than two days late.

Changing habits

Less than a third of letters are sent now than 20 years ago, and it is forecast to fall to about a fifth of the letters previously sent.

According to Ofcom research, people want reliability and affordability more than speedy delivery.

Royal Mail has been loss-making in recent years as revenues fell.

In response to Ofcom’s changes, a government spokesperson said: “The public expects a well-run postal service, with letters arriving on time across the country without it costing the earth. With the way people use postal services having changed, it’s right the regulator has looked at this.

“We now need Royal Mail to work with unions and posties to deliver a service that people expect, and this includes maintaining the principle of one price to send a letter anywhere in the UK”.

Ofcom said it has told Royal Mail to hold regular meetings with consumer bodies and industry groups to hear their experiences implementing the changes.