Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has given an urgent update on the free £150 the Government is handing out to people across the UK to help with rising energy costs. In England the money is being given to people in Council Tax rebates while in Wales the cash is coming through the devolved Government.
But Martin says people have been confused by the money and are asking how they can refuse it. The problem has come because the Government is handing out two lots of cash to help with rising bills. Energy bills went up by 54% on April 1 and will go up again in October.
The first handout is a Council Tax rebate - basically a smaller bill - which people are getting from April and which does not have to be paid back. The second amount is a £200 'loan' being given to people in reduced energy bills from October - which will then be paid back with higher bills in future.
