1.7 million people left waiting months for energy support

Published by parliament’s public accounts committee (PAC), it found that while the support schemes were introduced quickly, the government did not have the “bandwidth” to make sure support reached all groups in a timely fashion. This left approximately 1.7 million people waiting for this help.  

The report also highlighted how 900,000 households only became eligible for the domestic consumers’ Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding on 27 February 2023 – nearly five months after consumers began receiving discounts on the main scheme.  

Additionally, 836,000 households in Northern Ireland only began receiving support with their energy bills from the Energy Bills Support Scheme in January 2023 – three months later than in Great Britain.  

Alongside this, as of February 2023, a quarter of vouchers issued for the Energy Bills Support Scheme for two million households on traditional prepayment meters had still not been redeemed. As such the committee has said the government should set out what it will do to improve this uptake.  

The committee also says it expects an update on plans to ensure energy affordability next winter – including how it will fix the problems for those most in need.  

PAC chair Dame Meg Hillier said: “The surge in energy prices has caused serious difficulties and hardship for households across the UK.  

“It is of course welcome to see the government moving quickly to put in place support for both households and businesses to keep the lights on. But many of those who most needed help were kept waiting longest for it. For some households, every day left without support presented impossible choices.

“We need to see better understanding from the government on vulnerable customers’ circumstances so that help can be prioritised for those who need it most, and to deliver value for money in these extremely expensive schemes. 

 
“Almost halfway through the year we have not yet seen plans to ensure energy affordability for the coming winter. As a matter of urgency the government must show it’s clear not just on how households and businesses will be protected in any future price rises, but how to ensure resilience in the sector as a whole.”