Scots are being urged to redeem their energy rebate vouchers as hundreds of thousands remain unclaimed.
As part of the Government energy bill support scheme, more than 1.1 million Scots were given financial support to help with rising fuel bills. But new data shows that almost a quarter of Scottish households with prepayment meters have not redeemed all of their £400 rebate payments, with this rising further to one in three homes in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
While most homes saw installments automatically taken off their bills, prepayment meter users were given vouchers to redeem. Now, households are being reminded to cash in any unused vouchers before they expire on June 30.
More than 280,000 vouchers issued between October and March last year have not been cashed in, according to statistics from Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Edinburgh has the highest number of unclaimed vouchers, with 34 per cent - or 20,820 - still to redeem. Meanwhile, 30 per cent of Glasgow energy rebates are still unused, 16,890 in Aberdeen and 13,200 in Dundee.
The Government has said that while over four in five vouchers have been used across the UK, £130 million is still available in a final push to encourage households to claim the support.
Almost one in five households in Scotland use prepayment meters for their gas or electricity. Most homes had £400 automatically taken off their electricity bills in six instalments, or had the money added to their accounts.
However, those on traditional prepayment meters need the vouchers, worth either £66 or £67, to get the discount. If a voucher does expire, customers can ask for it to be reissued.
According to Advice Direct Scotland, suppliers should contact you to notify of any unredeemed vouchers. But the consumer charity has shared tips to make sure you don't miss out, which include:
- Check unopened mail and junk email, in case the vouchers have been missed.
- Contact energy suppliers, using details found on bills, statements, and official websites.
- Contact energyadvice.scot if there are any difficulties getting through to suppliers or resolving issues. The team can be contacted on 0808 196 8660 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm), or through www.energyadvice.scot.
Sulaimon Olafare, head of marketing and media with Advice Direct Scotland, said: “With energy prices still incredibly high, it’s vital that households get all the support they’re entitled to. We would urge any households in Scotland who have a prepayment meter to check whether you have been sent a voucher and use it before it expires.
It's concerning that so many people have not redeemed their vouchers, and we don't want anyone to miss out. If you haven’t received your vouchers, you should immediately get in touch with your energy supplier or Advice Direct Scotland’s expert advisors.”
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