The government has announced a £400 discount on your energy bills and this is what each of the major energy companies has to say on the matter.

A £400 payment to each household was announced by the government to help people to deal with the massive rise in gas prices across the country. The energy companies are responsible for delivering the payment to each household.

Now, each company has release information on the £400 payment. Each will make the payments in installments of £66 for the first two months and £67 for the next four until March 2023, reports BirminghamLive.

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Here is what each of the companies say:

British Gas

British Gas says if you pay by direct debit the amount will be added to your bank account each month like a refund. If you pay by cash or cheque the discount will be added to your balance.

Smart Prepayment metre customers will receive the money in their account on the fifth of each month while standard metre customers will receive vouchers in the mail.

Customers with payment cards will receive vouchers as well.

EDF

They say: "Your payments will automatically be paid so there is no need to call us.

"If you change the way you pay for your energy during the next six months, the way you receive the discount will change too.

"If you only have a gas account with EDF, payments will come from whoever supplies your electricity. Your electricity supplier may make payments in a different way.

"Prepayment customers – ID will be required to redeem your vouchers. Full details including expiry dates will be provided when you receive the vouchers from the Post Office."

E.ON

E.ON says: "Customers do not need to apply or register to receive the £400. It will be applied automatically to their energy account. If you receive a text or email asking you to 'complete a form' or 'input your bank details', then this is a scammer."

They add: "Fixed Direct Debit customers will receive the money automatically as a deduction to their monthly Direct Debit.

"Pay on receipt of bill customers and regular cash payment customers will see the money automatically applied as a credit to their energy accounts in the first week of each month. This will show as a credit in the payments section of their monthly bill.

"Smart prepayment customers will see the money credited directly to their meters as a top up in the first week of each month.

"Traditional prepayment customers will be provided with vouchers in the first week of each month. For E.ON Next customers these will only be redeemable at the Post Office, not at all top-up locations."

Octopus

Octopus Energy says: "Direct Debit customers will have their monthly payment reduced by the discount amount.

"Customers who Pay on Receipt of Bill will have the discount added each month.

"Smart Prepayment customers will have the discount applied as a credit to their meters.

"Traditional Prepayment customers will get vouchers they can redeem as top up credit for their energy meters."

Ovo

Ovo say direct debit customers will receive a discount three to five days after their direct debit clears. If you pay when you get your bill you will get a discount as credit.

Customers with smart metres will receive the discount straight to their metre in the first week of every month. Traditional metre customers will receive vouchers by post within 11 working days of the first of each month.

Scottish Power

Scottish Power say: "If you pay by monthly Direct Debit, the discount will be issued as a refund to your bank account after we’ve collected your Direct Debit.

"If you pay by credit or payment card, the discount will be automatically applied to your energy account during the first week of each month and you’ll see the discount on your next bill.

"If you have a smart prepayment meter, we’ll automatically apply the discount to your meter in the first week of each month.

"If you have a traditional prepayment meter, we’ll send you vouchers every month by email or post. You can then simply take your voucher to any PayPoint outlet to have the value added to your payment device."

Shell Energy

Shell Energy says if you pay by direct debit you will receive the money as a discount on your monthly bill. If you pay by variable direct debit, or when you receive your bill, the discount will be applied to your energy account each month.

SSE

If you pay by direct debit: " You’ll receive your discount straight into your bank account as a refund 3-5 days after your Direct Debit has cleared. This means you’ll carry on paying your full Direct Debit amount. Once the Direct Debit payment has gone through, we’ll automatically refund the monthly discount amount to your bank account shortly after."

If you pay when you get your bill: " You’ll receive your monthly discount as a credit to your energy account in the first week of each month. You’ll see this on your monthly bills from October."

If you use a smart pay as you go metre: "We’ll add your monthly discount straight to your electricity smart meter as a credit in the first week of each month."

If you have a traditional metre: "You'll receive vouchers by post within 11 working days of the 1st of each month."

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