Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
19th Report - Energy Bills Support
Public Accounts Committee
HC 511
Published 28 March 2025
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Nineteenth report from Session 2024-25 · published 10 Jul 2025
Recommendations & Conclusions
16
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Hard-to-reach households showed low take-up of alternative energy support funding schemes.
Conclusion
Take–up of the energy bills support schemes was lower among harder–to–reach households that did not receive a payment directly from their energy supplier; 41 and may have been affected disproportionately by energy price fluctuations.42 These households did not receive an …
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Government Response Summary
The government is considering options for better targeting of bill support schemes and working with other government departments to unlock data to enable targeting support more effectively to those who need help with their energy bills; also expanding Warm Home Discount Scheme.
HM Treasury
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17
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
Communication failures hampered support scheme reach to vulnerable households in need
Recommendation
Although the Department worked with local authorities on some of the schemes aimed at households who were harder to reach,44 the low take–up suggests that this approach did not identify all those in need.45 The Department said that it attempted …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees to consider better targeting of bill support schemes, including during energy crises, and is working with other departments and stakeholders to improve data use and effectiveness of support, aiming to reach a further 2.7 million households through the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
HM Treasury
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18
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Warm Home Discount scheme excludes high-energy-using vulnerable individuals from vital support
Conclusion
The Department said that the “biggest item of support” available to mitigate high energy prices this winter for vulnerable consumers, mainly those on benefits such as pension credit, is the Warm Home Discount scheme,47 which provides a £150 discount to …
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Government Response Summary
The government is considering options for better targeting of bill support schemes and working with other government departments to unlock data to enable targeting support more effectively to those who need help with their energy bills; also expanding Warm Home Discount Scheme.
HM Treasury
View Details →