Households in Edinburgh are being urged to check if they are eligible for over £1.3m of unclaimed fuel poverty vouchers before the deadline for using them runs out on Friday this week (30 June).
The Energy Bills Support Scheme, which ran between October 2022 and March 2023, enabled households to save £400 off the cost of their energy bills over the course of the six months.
Whilst most households received this discount automatically via their energy supplier, traditional prepayment meter (PPM) users were required to redeem monthly vouchers sent to them by their supplier for use at either Post Office or PayPoint top-up points.
Although the majority of vouchers have been redeemed there are still over £1m unclaimed vouchers in the city and the City of Edinburgh Council is calling on anyone with friends or family on a PPM electricity meter to make sure all eligible households benefit.
The deadline for claiming fuel poverty vouchers was highlighted in a motion from Forth Green Cllr Kayleigh O’Neill at Full Council on Thursday 22 June.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “We know there are many people in the city suffering from fuel poverty especially since the high levels of energy costs came into force. There is financial support out there for people on prepayment meters suffering from fuel poverty but the voucher scheme ends this Friday.
“According to Ofgem 34% of eligible households in Edinburgh have not redeemed vouchers which is the equivalent of £1.3m of crucial financial help going to waste. I would really urge anyone on prepayment meters who hasn’t claimed their vouchers to do so in the next few days before the scheme ends.”
Claiming a voucher is simple. PPM users should bring their voucher, ID and energy prepayment key or card to the top up point specified by their energy supplier. Vouchers can then be redeemed in store immediately.
Previously issued vouchers expire after 90 days but can be reissued before 30 June. If a person thinks that they have missed their vouchers, they should contact their energy supplier. All vouchers must be used by 30 June.
For more information, visit gov.uk/helpforhouseholds.