£100 Household Energy Payment checker
Find out whether you’re likely to get the £100 energy payment announced in the Autumn Budget: council tax bands A to D in England, paid from January 2027. Answer a few questions and see how you’d be paid — or what else is on offer if you wouldn’t.
How we reached your result
We went through the main conditions in the government’s announcement, one at a time.
The step-by-step reasoning will appear here.
What we know about the £100 Household Energy Payment
The Autumn Budget on 28 October 2026 announced a one-off £100 Household Energy Payment for households in council tax bands A to D in England. You’re eligible if you’re liable for council tax on, and live in, a band A to D property as your main home. Payments are due from January 2027.
Most households that are exempt from council tax are included. Second homes, empty properties and households where nobody is responsible for council tax are not. The full criteria are still to come, which is why this checker says “likely” rather than “definitely”. For the full picture, read our guide: £100 Household Energy Payment: who gets it and when?
Things people forget
Frequently asked questions
Who gets the £100 Household Energy Payment?
GOV.UK says households in England that are liable for council tax on, and living in, a property in council tax bands A to D as their main home. The government expects up to 20 million households to be eligible. Second homes, empty properties and households where the householder isn’t responsible for paying council tax aren’t eligible.
When will the £100 energy payment be paid?
The government says payments will be made from January 2027. The BBC reports that households paying council tax by direct debit will be paid straight into the account they use for council tax from the start of January.
Do I need to apply for the £100 energy payment?
If you pay council tax by direct debit you don’t need to do anything. If you pay another way, your council will invite you to apply. Only your council should contact you about it, so be wary of any other text, email or call.
Is this the same as the Winter Fuel Payment?
No. The Household Energy Payment is a new payment announced in the Autumn Budget 2026 and it depends on your home’s council tax band. The Winter Fuel Payment is a separate scheme with its own rules.
Do students get the £100 energy payment?
Students living in halls aren’t eligible. The BBC reports that students renting a private home in band A to D are, and that their council will find a way to pay them because they don’t pay council tax.
What if I live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
The England scheme doesn’t apply, but those nations get extra funding and decide their own schemes. The Welsh Government has said it will make a £100 payment to households in bands A to D, and the Scottish Government has said it will “seek to replicate” it. We haven’t seen confirmed details yet.
Is VAT on electricity changing?
The Budget documents say the temporary 0% rate of VAT on domestic electricity is extended to 30 June 2027. Without the extension it would have been 5% from 1 April 2027. It needs secondary legislation, expected in early 2027, so it isn’t law yet. It applies to household electricity, not business supplies.
What can I get if I’m not eligible?
The government is giving councils an extra £100 million for discretionary support for households that don’t qualify, and each council sets its own criteria. If you receive means-tested benefits, you may be eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount.
How accurate is this checker?
It follows the government’s 28 October 2026 announcement as closely as it can, but the full eligibility criteria haven’t been published, so it can only tell you what is likely. It’s a guide, not a guarantee, and your council has the final say. We’ll update it when GOV.UK publishes more.
Sources and review
Last checked: 28 October 2026. This page is based on the government’s announcement of 28 October 2026 and a BBC explainer published the same day. We’ll update it when the full eligibility criteria are published. HandySums is independent, not an accountancy firm and not a government service — see how we check our sums.