Updated: 28 October 2026
The UK Government has announced a new £100 Household Energy Payment to help millions of households with rising energy costs this winter.
Under the scheme announced in the Autumn Budget on 28 October 2026, households in England living in a main home in Council Tax bands A to D will be able to receive a one-off £100 payment from January 2027.
The government says the scheme will support up to 20 million households and cost around £2.6 billion.
Most eligible households that pay Council Tax by Direct Debit should receive the money automatically. People who do not pay by Direct Debit are expected to be invited by their local council to apply.
Important: the government has announced the main eligibility rules, but it also says that full eligibility criteria will be published in due course. The checker below therefore gives a provisional result based on the rules announced on 28 October 2026. It is not an official government eligibility decision.
£100 Household Energy Payment Eligibility Checker
Answer the questions below using the rules announced by the government on 28 October 2026.
Privacy: this checker runs only in your browser. UK Home Saver does not receive or store your answers.
What Is the £100 Household Energy Payment?
The Household Energy Payment is a new one-off payment announced in the Autumn Budget 2026 to help households with higher energy costs.
The scheme will provide £100 to eligible households in England living in Council Tax bands A to D.
According to the government, the scheme will:
- Cost around £2.6 billion
- Support up to 20 million households in England
- Reach an estimated 83% of fuel-stressed households in England
- Reach around 88% of households in the bottom three income deciles
The payment is designed to help with energy costs during the colder months.
When Will the £100 Be Paid?
Payments are due to start from January 2027.
The government has not yet published a single payment date for every household. Local authorities will be involved in delivering the scheme through the Council Tax system, so the exact timing may vary.
If you pay your Council Tax by Direct Debit and meet the eligibility conditions, the government says you should not need to do anything — the payment should be made directly to your bank account.
Who Is Eligible in England?
Based on the official guidance published on 28 October 2026, a household in England is eligible for the standard £100 Household Energy Payment if:
- The property is in Council Tax band A, B, C or D
- The property is your main home
- The household is liable for Council Tax on that home
The government also says that most households exempt from Council Tax will be included, although the detailed rules for exempt households have not yet been published.
Who Is Not Eligible for the Standard £100 Payment?
The government says the standard payment will not be available for:
- Second homes
- Empty properties
- Households in Council Tax bands E to H under the standard A–D scheme
- Households where the householder is not responsible for paying Council Tax
However, households that miss out on the standard payment may still be able to receive help through a separate local discretionary fund.
What If You Live in Council Tax Band E, F, G or H?
Band E to H households are not part of the standard £100 payment announced for bands A to D.
But the government has also announced an additional £100 million for English local authorities to provide discretionary support to households that are struggling with energy bills but do not qualify for the standard payment.
Each council will set its own eligibility criteria for this discretionary support.
That means a household in band E, F, G or H should not assume there is no help available. Check your local council website once the local scheme details are published.
How Do I Check My Council Tax Band?
You can check your property’s Council Tax band through the official GOV.UK service:
Check your Council Tax band on GOV.UK
You can search using your postcode or address.
Do not pay a company to check your Council Tax band. The official service is free.
Do I Need to Apply?
If you pay Council Tax by Direct Debit
If you live in an eligible band A–D property in England and pay Council Tax by Direct Debit, the government says you do not need to apply.
The £100 should be paid directly into your bank account.
If you do not pay Council Tax by Direct Debit
If you meet the eligibility conditions but pay by another method, your local council is expected to invite you to apply directly.
Do not submit bank details to random websites claiming to process the payment.
What If You Are Exempt From Council Tax?
The announcement specifically says the payment will include most households exempt from Council Tax.
However, the government has not yet published the full detailed eligibility rules for every exempt category.
If you are exempt, do not assume either that you definitely qualify or definitely miss out. Wait for the final guidance from GOV.UK or your local council.
What About Council Tax Reduction?
Receiving Council Tax Reduction does not automatically mean your property is in a different Council Tax band.
Your property still has a valuation band, even if your Council Tax bill is reduced because of low income or benefits.
If your main home is in band A to D and you remain the person responsible for Council Tax, you appear to be within the main group targeted by the announced scheme. Final eligibility will still depend on the detailed rules when published.
What If You Rent Your Home?
Renting does not automatically stop you qualifying.
The important question is whether you or your household are responsible for Council Tax on the property and whether it is your main home in band A to D.
Some rental arrangements — including certain houses in multiple occupation — can make the landlord rather than the occupier legally responsible for Council Tax.
If you are unsure, check your tenancy arrangements and Council Tax bill or ask your local council.
What If You Live With Parents, Family or Friends?
The payment is linked to the household and Council Tax liability rather than being £100 for every adult living at the address.
The government has announced a £100 household payment, not an individual £100 payment for each resident.
If somebody else in the household is the person responsible for Council Tax, the payment arrangements are expected to follow that household’s Council Tax record.
Can You Get the £100 Payment and the Warm Home Discount?
The two schemes are separate.
The new Household Energy Payment is based mainly on Council Tax band and household circumstances, while the Warm Home Discount has its own eligibility rules.
If you receive means-tested benefits or think you may qualify for the £150 discount, see our current guide:
Warm Home Discount October 2026: Who Gets £150 Automatically?
A household that meets the rules for both schemes may potentially benefit from both because they are separate forms of support.
What About Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
The £100 Household Energy Payment announced for Council Tax bands A to D applies directly to England.
The UK Government is providing additional funding to the devolved governments in:
- Scotland
- Wales
- Northern Ireland
Those governments will decide how to use the funding to provide similar support based on local needs.
This means households outside England should not assume the English A–D rules apply to them. Separate details will need to be announced by the relevant devolved government.
What Is the £100 Million Discretionary Fund?
Alongside the standard £100 payment, the government is providing an extra £100 million to English local authorities.
This money is intended to support households that are severely affected by energy costs but fall outside the main A–D payment rules.
For example, this may help some households in higher Council Tax bands, but councils will set their own eligibility rules.
Once local schemes are ready, councils will publish information about who can apply and how.
Find your local council on GOV.UK
Watch Out for £100 Energy Payment Scams
This announcement creates an obvious opportunity for scammers.
The government specifically warns that nobody other than your council should contact you asking you to claim the rebate.
Be suspicious of unexpected messages that ask you to:
- Pay a processing or application fee
- Enter bank details through an unfamiliar website
- Give your online banking password
- Share a one-time security code
- Move money to another account
- Click an urgent link to avoid “losing” your £100
If you are unsure whether a message is genuine, contact your council using contact details you find independently on its official website.
What Else Was Announced for Energy Bills?
The £100 Household Energy Payment was part of a wider package announced in the Autumn Budget 2026.
The government also announced that:
- The temporary 0% VAT rate on qualifying domestic electricity in Great Britain will be extended until July 2027
- The extension is expected to reduce the April 2027 annual Ofgem price cap by around £50
- The government has asked Ofgem to remove domestic gas standing charges, aiming for implementation by the end of 2027 or as soon as possible afterwards
- A new strategy for tackling household energy debt will include a targeted debt-relief scheme for eligible households
These measures are separate from the £100 payment and have different implementation dates.
£100 Household Energy Payment: Quick Summary
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| How much? | £100 per eligible household |
| Where? | Standard scheme applies in England |
| Council Tax bands? | A to D |
| Main home required? | Yes |
| When? | Payments from January 2027 |
| Direct Debit households? | Expected to be paid automatically |
| Non-Direct Debit households? | Council expected to invite eligible households to apply |
| Council Tax exempt households? | Most expected to be included; full rules still to come |
| Second homes? | Not eligible |
| Empty properties? | Not eligible |
| Bands E–H? | Not in standard scheme; discretionary local support may be available |
| Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland? | Additional funding provided; separate local arrangements still to be decided |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is every household getting £100?
No. In England, the standard payment is aimed at households living in their main home in Council Tax bands A to D and meeting the Council Tax-liability rules.
Is the £100 paid off my energy bill?
The government says eligible Direct Debit Council Tax households will receive the payment directly into their bank account rather than as a credit from an energy supplier.
When will the £100 payment arrive?
Payments are due to begin from January 2027. Exact timing may vary as local authorities implement the scheme.
Do pensioners automatically qualify?
Age alone is not the announced test. The main standard rules relate to living in an eligible band A–D property in England as your main home and meeting the Council Tax-liability requirements.
Do Universal Credit claimants automatically qualify?
Universal Credit is not the main qualifying test for the standard £100 payment. Council Tax band and household circumstances are central to the announced rules. Benefits may be relevant to other support, such as Warm Home Discount or discretionary council help.
What if my property is band D?
Band D is included in the standard A–D range, subject to the other eligibility conditions.
What if my property is band E?
Band E is outside the standard £100 scheme, but you may be able to seek discretionary support from your local authority once local rules are published.
What if I do not pay by Direct Debit?
The government says your council will invite you to apply directly if you are otherwise eligible.
Should I contact my council now?
There is generally no need to contact your council immediately just because the scheme has been announced. Councils are still waiting for detailed implementation guidance. Check official updates as January 2027 approaches.
Final Checklist
- Check whether your main home is in England.
- Check whether your property is in Council Tax band A, B, C or D.
- Confirm that the property is your main home.
- Check who is legally responsible for Council Tax.
- If you pay by Direct Debit, you should not need to apply under the announced rules.
- If you do not pay by Direct Debit, wait for your council’s application instructions.
- If you are Council Tax exempt, wait for the detailed eligibility guidance.
- If you are in band E to H, watch your council’s website for discretionary-support rules.
- Do not respond to unofficial messages asking for a fee or banking passwords.
The new £100 Household Energy Payment could help a large proportion of households in England with winter energy costs, but the announcement is still at an early stage.
The key facts are clear — £100, Council Tax bands A to D, payments from January 2027 — but the government still needs to publish the final detailed eligibility and implementation rules.
UK Home Saver will update this guide as those details are released. This article and checker provide general information only and are not an official government eligibility decision.
[…] The government says the scheme will support up to 20 million households, cost around £2.6 billion, and reach 83% of fuel-stressed households in England. Most eligible households that pay Council Tax by Direct Debit should receive the money automatically. For full eligibility rules, see our guide on £100 Household Energy Payment 2027: Who Gets It. […]