THE government’s energy bills support scheme has missed areas of Britain that are in high levels of fuel poverty, an analysis of official data revealed today.  

In some areas of the country, more than one in 20 payments were not delivered or vouchers left unredeemed, according to the Warm This Winter campaign.

Regional data from the first five months of the scheme shows that the highest rates for missed payments are some of the areas hit hardest by fuel poverty, including the London Borough of Brent where 6.62 per cent of payments undelivered or not redeemed.

Other cities with the highest rates were Birmingham, Stoke, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Sandwell.

Rural areas were also hit with poor delivery rates, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s own backyard of Richmondshire at 4.08 per cent — equating to £285,000 still owed to his constituents by energy firms.

In cities like Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds, the value of missed payments is over £4 million each.

An End Fuel Poverty spokesman said that it was concerning that the scheme is not getting through to “the very areas of the country which need it most.”

He said: “In towns and cities, which will also be the battlegrounds in the next general election, households have been left in the cold this winter.

“But even in rural areas — where many homes have also suffered from delays in payments not shown in these figures by being off grid — there are still massive gaps in the support getting through.

“If anyone feels they have missed out on energy bills support scheme payments they should contact their energy firm immediately.”

Energy Action Scotland chief executive officer Frazer Scott said that it is “simply disgraceful” that so many households have been failed by government support.

He said that as the scheme’s vouchers expire in June, it is unlikely that most of the households will receive some or all of the £400 they are entitled to.

Mr Scott said: “People will have simply gone without heat and power across the coldest months putting their health and wellbeing at risk.

“It isn’t right that those in the lowest incomes are enduring yet another unfairness in a system that for the majority, including the most wealthy of households, people with multiple homes, was provided automatically.”

Any funds unclaimed by households or undelivered by energy firms will be returned to the government.