Government drops £469k on ads for prepayment energy bill support

The Energy Department has expanded its outreach through multiple channels, including community radio, social media and national magazines

The government has spent almost half a million pounds on advertising available energy bill support schemes for prepayment customers.

Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park Sarah Olney asked the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) what was the public cost of advertising energy bill support schemes for prepayment meter users in the previous fiscal year.

In response, Amanda Solloway, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the DESNZ replied: “Ministers have pushed for suppliers to do more to help vulnerable customers and, alongside using all of its existing relationships and networks, the government have expanded campaign activity to reach eligible customers with additional advertising across multiple channels including community radio, social media and national magazine titles.

“The cost of advertising targeted at people with pre-payment meters to drive take-up will be £469,000 this financial year.”

In the Spring Budget, the government confirmed that from July, prepayment customers will no longer pay more than direct debit households.

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