In the Autumn Budget, the Government announced a one-off £100 payment to help households in council tax bands A–D in England with energy costs this winter. Councils will deliver it, with payments expected to start from January 2027.

For households that pay council tax by Direct Debit, the route is relatively simple. For everyone else, receiving the support is expected to be more complicated.

Which households are most at risk of missing out?

The households most likely to be missed are those the council holds no bank details for. These include people who don’t pay by Direct Debit, those whose council tax is included in their rent and those receiving full Council Tax Reduction.

Many are expected to be the most in need of the support, with many on the lowest incomes. Some have no usable bank account or aren’t online, and others will be wary of sharing bank details, as scam warnings are already circulating.

How can councils pay households without bank details?

Paying households without bank details means collecting those details securely, checking them before any money moves and keeping a clear audit trail, all on a tight timescale and alongside existing workloads.

Councils must also reassure people who are wary of scams and find another route for those who can’t receive a bank transfer at all.

Access with Auriga, our managed fulfilment platform for delivering financial support is designed to make distributing support simple and quick, all within one platform

• Secure digital payments to bank accounts: People are invited to provide their bank details through a secure online process. Payments go directly to their account, and every transaction is reconciled and reported back to you. Your team keeps full oversight, without building a new system or handling bank details in-house.
• Alternatives for people who are unbanked or offline: Not everyone can, or will, receive a bank transfer. Where scheme rules allow, Access with Auriga can deliver support through ATM cash withdrawals or redeemable cash vouchers, so people without a usable bank account or internet access are not left behind.

Providing additional support to people facing financial hardship

For some households, the payment of £100 will help, but for those most in need it will not be enough. The contact made to pay the £100 is a rare chance for councils to identify people who need more help, and provide tailored support dependent on their circumstances.

Access with Auriga delivers a wide range of support, including:

• Energy and essentials: emergency fuel vouchers, pre-paid fuel card support, food and clothing vouchers
• Household goods: white goods, cooking appliances, furniture and flooring
• Financial resilience: FCA-regulated debt advice, welfare benefits checks and income maximisation

Individuals’ data and public money, in safe hands

Last year, we supported over 413,000 people across our services, so we understand what it takes to handle people’s personal and financial information safely. We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Cyber Essentials Plus certified.

When someone is struggling to pay their bills, how they’re treated matters as much as the support they receive. Our ISO 22458 kitemark certification for consumer vulnerability shows that our services are designed to recognise and respond to people in difficult circumstances, so that everyone can access support fairly and with dignity, whatever their situation.

Our ISO 9001 certification and the Advice Quality Standard mean we deliver services to independently assessed standards, with clear processes and quality checks. That gives you confidence that every person receives the same high standard of service.

Social value built into support

Choosing Auriga does more than deliver the £100 energy payment. Any surplus we generate is reinvested into our parent charity, Evnia, which funds programmes for people and communities facing hardship. Every payment you deliver with us helps fund additional support programmes, so your support provides additional lasting social value.

Find out how Access with Auriga can help your council reach every eligible household. Contact: businessdevelopment@aurigaservices.co.uk