Citizens Advice is warning that more than half a million people across the UK could miss out on the UK Government's £400 support for energy customers from October because they are in a privately rented property.
The charity said that one in eight people who rent from a private landlord may not feel the benefit of support which is aimed at helping reduce household energy bills when Ofgem implements the next price cap.
As a result, 585,000 people could be left out of pocket, including tenants whose landlords manage their bills. They are locked out of the £150 Warm Home discount scheme and may not see the £400 energy grant the UK Government has promised from October.
Only people with a domestic electricity account, who pay their energy suppliers directly, will receive the £400 help.
Citizens Advice said landlords will get the money, but there is no legal requirement for them to pass it on to their tenants - there is also no guidance on how landlords should manage this fairly.
A consultation into the technical details of delivering the national energy help is underway and the UK Government has said it will share more details in the summer.
Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty, said: “With the price of energy at a record high, it's vital that UK Government support reaches the people it's intended for.
"We're worried that many tenants are falling through the cracks, putting them at risk of missing out on money to help them with soaring bills.”
Dame Moriarty added: “Renters must be able to take control of their energy payments if they want to, so they can get all the support they need.
"The UK Government should also bring forward clear guidance for landlords to make sure tenants don't miss out on the upcoming £400 energy grant."
Citizens Advice said its advisers had spoken to one man who had less than £10 left on his electricity sub-meter and could not access the Warm Home Discount because he was not named as a billpayer.
Another tenant was meant to have bills included in their rent, but their energy supplier installed a prepayment meter because the landlord had failed to pay up.
Those on low incomes, young people and people of colour are more likely to be impacted by these issues, Citizens Advice said.
Energy bills shot up from the beginning of April when the price cap on bills was increased by 54% for the average household and predictions for the October increase are currently at an extra £800 being added on to annual bills for those on standard tariffs.
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