More than 500,000 people in privately rented properties could miss out on £400 energy bill support

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Citizens Advice is warning that more than half a million people across the UK could miss out on the UK Government's £400 support for energy customers from October because they are in a privately rented property.

The charity said that one in eight people who rent from a private landlord may not feel the benefit of support which is aimed at helping reduce household energy bills when Ofgem implements the next price cap.

As a result, 585,000 people could be left out of pocket, including tenants whose landlords manage their bills. They are locked out of the £150 Warm Home discount scheme and may not see the £400 energy grant the UK Government has promised from October.

Only people with a domestic electricity account, who pay their energy suppliers directly, will receive the £400 help.Citizens Advice said landlords will get the money, but there is no legal requirement for them to pass it on to their tenants - there is also no guidance on how landlords should manage this fairly.A consultation into the technical details of delivering the national energy help is underway and the UK Government has said it will share more details in the summer.Citizens Advice chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty, said: “With the price of energy at a record high, it's vital that UK Government support reaches the people it's intended for."We're worried that many tenants are falling through the cracks, putting them at risk of missing out on money to help them with soaring bills.”Dame Moriarty added: “Renters must be able to take control of their energy payments if they want to, so they can get all the support they need."The UK Government should also bring forward clear guidance for landlords to make sure tenants don't miss out on the upcoming £400