Millions of households will receive a £100 payment to help with energy bills following the Autumn Budget on Wednesday 28 October 2026.
The new Household Energy Payment will be available to up to 20 million households in England, with payments starting in January 2027.
If your home is in Council Tax bands A to D, you could qualify.
But there’s an important difference in how people will get the money.
Some households will receive it automatically, while others will need to apply through their local council.
Here’s what you need to know.
Who qualifies for the £100 energy payment?
The government has confirmed that households in Council Tax bands A, B, C and D in England will be eligible, provided they meet the scheme’s rules.
To qualify, you must live in the property as your main home and normally be responsible for its Council Tax.
You can qualify whether you own or rent your home, as long as you’re responsible for the Council Tax bill.
It’s £100 per eligible household, not £100 for every person living there.
There are some exclusions:
- Second homes won’t qualify.
- Empty properties won’t qualify.
- Households where someone else is responsible for paying the Council Tax won’t normally qualify.
There’s no separate income limit in the rules announced so far, but the government says full eligibility details will follow.
How can I check my Council Tax band?
The easiest way is to look at your latest Council Tax bill.
If you can’t find it, you can check your Council Tax band for free on GOV.UK.
Just enter your postcode or address.
If your home is in bands A to D, you could qualify for the payment.
When will the £100 be paid?
Payments will start in January 2027.
The government hasn’t confirmed an exact date, so it’s not yet clear when individual households will receive the money.
Local councils will be responsible for delivering the scheme.
If you pay your Council Tax by Direct Debit, the government says the £100 will be paid automatically into your bank account.
You won’t need to apply.
The money is intended to help with energy costs, but it won’t be paid through your gas or electricity supplier.
What if I don’t pay Council Tax by Direct Debit?
You can still qualify for the £100.
However, the government says your local council will invite you to apply for the money directly.
This means people who pay Council Tax by standing order, debit card or another method shouldn’t assume the money will arrive automatically.
There’s no need to change how you pay your Council Tax just to qualify.
For now, check your council’s website for updates and wait for its official instructions.
Application deadlines, the full process and how people without bank accounts will receive their money haven’t yet been confirmed.
Skint Dad says:
£100 will help towards energy bills, but what worries me is that some people might assume everyone will get it automatically.
If you don’t pay your Council Tax by Direct Debit, you’ll need to know what your council wants you to do.
I really hope councils make this as simple as possible. Nobody should miss out on £100 just because they pay their Council Tax a different way.
What if I get Council Tax Reduction?
This is one of the questions the government still needs to answer properly.
Council Tax Reduction helps people on lower incomes by reducing how much Council Tax they pay.
For some households, the bill can be reduced to nothing.
The government has said that most households exempt from Council Tax will qualify for the payment, although it hasn’t yet explained exactly which exemptions are covered.
It also hasn’t specifically confirmed how payments will work for everyone receiving Council Tax Reduction, particularly those with a £0 bill.
So, if you receive this support, don’t assume you’re excluded, but wait for the final eligibility rules before counting on the £100.
What if my home is in Council Tax bands E to H?
Households in bands E, F, G and H aren’t covered by the main £100 scheme in England.
However, the government has announced another £100 million for councils to help people who are struggling with energy bills but don’t qualify for the main payment.
That could include households in higher Council Tax bands.
Each council will decide who qualifies and how the extra support will be provided.
It doesn’t mean everyone in bands E to H will automatically receive £100.
You can find your local council on GOV.UK to check for updates when the extra support becomes available.
What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
The £100 Household Energy Payment announced in the Autumn Budget applies to England, but Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving funding to provide similar support.
Wales: The Welsh Government has confirmed that households in Council Tax bands A to D will receive a £100 cost-of-living payment. The payment date and how people will receive the money haven’t yet been announced.
Scotland: The Scottish Government has also committed to providing a one-off £100 payment towards energy bills. Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth confirmed the decision on 28 October 2026, with further details expected in the Scottish Budget on 3 December. It’s not yet clear exactly who will qualify or how payments will be made.
Northern Ireland: A matching £100 payment hasn’t yet been confirmed. Although the UK government has provided funding for similar support, the Northern Ireland Executive hasn’t agreed how a new scheme would work.
Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant has warned that Stormont needs to agree a Budget to access additional funding, including money intended for £100 support for lower-income households.
However, Northern Ireland already has a separate £100 Home Heating Oil Support Scheme for eligible households that use oil as their main heating source.
People receiving certain benefits, or single people and couples with an annual income below £30,000 after allowable deductions, may qualify. The support comes as a prepaid card for heating oil, rather than cash.
Applications are open until 31 March 2027.
Payment dates, eligibility and application rules for the new Budget support may differ across the UK.
What should you do now?
There are three useful things to check.
- Find your Council Tax band. If you’re in England and your home is in bands A to D, you could qualify.
- Check how you pay. If you pay by Direct Debit, the payment should be automatic once your eligibility is confirmed. If you pay another way, your council will invite you to apply.
- Use official council information. You don’t need to apply now. Be careful with unexpected texts or emails asking for bank details. Check directly with your council before sharing personal information.
If you’re struggling to pay your energy bills, there’s no need to wait until January to seek help.
The separate Warm Home Discount scheme provides £150 off electricity bills for eligible households.
You can also read our guide to the October 2026 energy price cap to see what the latest changes mean for your bills.
And for the other announcements affecting your money, see our Autumn Budget 2026 guide.
The government has published more information about the £100 payment in its official energy bills announcement, with further eligibility and application details still to come.
