Letters to arrive at homes as millions will get energy bill help

Over 250,000 families are set to receive confirmation of a one-off £150 reduction on their energy bills this winter, the Government has announced.

Letters are being dispatched to households across England and Wales from Tuesday following Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's expansion of the Warm Home Discount scheme last year to assist an additional 2.7 million families throughout the UK.

Every household eligible for the reduction is set to receive a letter before January. More than six million households across England, Scotland and Wales will benefit from the support.

For the overwhelming majority of recipients, £150 will be automatically subtracted from their energy bill without requiring any action on their part.

Certain households will be required to supply additional details to secure their discount, with the correspondence instructing them to contact the helpline provided. They will require an electricity bill or statement to verify the bill payer's name and account number.

Sir Keir said: "This cash injection will help people manage their bills while we fix the rusting energy system we inherited.

"Because it is only through our clean energy mission that we will get bills down for everyone in the long run, creating jobs and economic growth along the way."

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: "Letters will be dropping on doormats across the country this week containing welcome news for hundreds of thousands of families.

"This Government is determined to tackle energy affordability for families, and this winter more people will be helped as a result.

"And I would urge anyone who needs to provide extra information to follow the straightforward steps and make sure they get money off their bills this winter."

As of October 1, Ofgem's energy price cap has seen a 2% rise, affecting typical households in England, Scotland and Wales, just as the chillier weather prompts many to turn on their central heating.

This implies that the annual energy bill for an average household paying by direct debit for gas and electricity has risen from £1,720 to £1,755.