The Government will do “whatever is necessary” to ensure people get the support on their energy bills they are entitled to, a minister has said after reports that hundreds of thousands could be missing out. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said there was a “blockage” in getting vouchers to some of the millions of customers with pre-payment meters across Britain.
“The most important thing, as I say, is that the Government is going to be gripping this issue and doing whatever is necessary to make sure that we unblock the blockage that there is in terms of getting those vouchers out,” he said on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. In May, then Chancellor Rishi Sunak promised £400 to each household in Britain from October to help them with soaring energy bills. The support will be paid out in six instalments of either £66 or £67.
Most households will have this taken off their bills automatically, but some households with pre-payment meters will need to redeem vouchers – and recent data showed that thousands have not done so yet. Mr Stride said that a “huge number” of people have been in touch to say they are struggling to get the vouchers.
