This energy bills discount has been set up by the Government to help households as energy bills rise, due to increasing wholesale costs. This scheme had ended - the last payments were made in March 2023.

As always, we want our customers to be safe and informed so we’d like to warn you to be aware of potential scams as they have been reported. Please remember you do not need to apply to receive the Government grant and we will keep you informed via email about this scheme but we will not text, call or email you asking for your direct debit details so please do not give your details to third parties.

Visit TakeFive - Stop Fraud for more information.


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How the payments will work 

All customers that have an electricity supply with us will receive £66 in October and November 2022, followed by four payments of £67 from December to March 2023 for a total of £400. If you have a gas only account with So Energy, you won’t qualify - though you'll still receive this amount from your domestic electricity supplier if you have one. 

This will be automatically applied to your account. How you receive this will depend on the payment method you have set up:

  • Fixed Direct Debit customers (inc. seasonal and equal payments):  we will apply your monthly discount as credit to your So Energy account and bills, typically in the first week of the month. To ensure you’re not paying too much, we’ll include the discount when we review your monthly Direct Debit. Read more about your Direct Debit review in October, here. This discount will then be used to set your monthly Direct Debit £66/£67 lower than it otherwise would be. For most of our price-capped customers on our So Flex tariff, you monthly Direct Debit is still expected to rise to rise overall in October as the price cap is expected to increase by more than £66 per month.
  • Variable Payments or Pay on Receipt of Bill customers: we will apply your monthly discount to your So Energy account and bills, typically in the first week of the month. You will see this as a credit in the breakdown of balance on page one of your statement. 
  • Smart prepayment meter customers: we will apply your monthly discount to your So Energy account, typically in the first week of the month. This credit will then reduce the amount you need to top-up.

Please remember that the charges for your energy usage are likely to be higher than £66 per month so you’ll need to make monthly payments to avoid falling into debt. We highly recommend setting up a Direct Debit through your online account if you haven’t already done so. 

It’s important to note that even with the Energy Bills Support Scheme helping out, most people will see their Direct Debit rise in October anyway. For a typical price-capped household, using 2,900kWh of electricity and 12,000kWh of gas per year, costs will rise from £164 per month to an estimated £304 per month. Even when you subtract the £67 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount from £304, that typical household’s monthly cost still rises from £164 to £237. In reality everyone’s circumstances are different but for the most part customers should expect to see their costs rise despite the Energy Bills Support Scheme discount.

We have more information on what support we have for our customers and what to do if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.

Please note that credit will not reach all customers on 1 October 2022. We aim to apply the credit in the first week of each month during the scheme which will run between October 2022 and March 2023. 

If there are any issues or delays with applying your credit you’ll be informed. We’ll ensure no one misses out.

If you already have a debt payment plan with us:

We will reduce the payment in accordance with your debt repayment plan. If you don’t have a debt repayment plan agreed and you think you need one we have more information on what to do if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.


Can I get the full £400 at once?

The short answer is, No. The £400 is to help you with higher bills during winter. Which is why the credit is spread across 6 months. Additionally, the government will be giving energy suppliers the money in instalments, so it's not possible to give any of our customers £400 in one lump sum.


Can I have the money paid to my bank account?

The government has asked suppliers to apply the Energy Bill Support Scheme to be applied as a credit to your energy account. As per our refund policy, if your account is in significant credit, you can ask for your balance to be refunded. 


Will I receive the discount if my account is in debt?

Yes, you will still be eligible for the scheme. 

If you’d like to find out more about the Energy Bill Support Scheme, you can head to the government website.