About 82,630 Havering homes, three in every four, are in bands A to D, the bands the Budget's £100 energy payment covers from January. Who misses out.

About three in every four homes in Havering are in the council tax bands that qualify for the new £100 Household Energy Payment.

The Chancellor announced the payment in the Budget on Wednesday 28 October. It goes to households in council tax bands A to D in England, and payments start in January 2027, the Government says.

Havering has 82,630 homes in bands A to D, out of 109,070 on the valuation list. That is 75.8%. The figures come from the Valuation Office Agency’s count of properties in each band at 31 March 2026.

That leaves about 26,450 Havering homes in bands E to H, which get nothing from the main scheme.

How Havering compares

Havering sits below England as a whole, where 80.8% of homes are in bands A to D. It sits above London, at 69.3%.

The gap with the next borough west is wide. In Barking and Dagenham, 97.3% of homes are in bands A to D, the highest share of any London borough. Over the border in Brentwood, it is 55.3%.

Bar chart of the share of homes in council tax bands A to D at 31 March 2026: Barking and Dagenham 97.3%, England 80.8%, Havering 75.8%, Bexley 73.8%, Redbridge 71.4%, London 69.3%, Brentwood 55.3%.
Share of homes in bands A to D, the bands the £100 payment covers. Source: Valuation Office Agency, CTSOP1.1, 31 March 2026. Chart by Romford Today
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Havering ranks 10th of the 33 London authorities on this measure. Bexley is at 73.8% and Redbridge at 71.4%.

Band D is the biggest single band in Havering, with 36,250 homes. Band C has 30,000, band B 11,100 and band A 5,280. A Band D household in Havering pays £2,424.66 in council tax this year, so the £100 is about 4% of that bill (our council tax page has every band).

Who gets it

The Government’s guidance says a household qualifies if it is liable for council tax on a band A to D property, and lives there as its main home.

It says:

  • most households that are exempt from council tax will be included, with full rules “in due course”
  • second homes and empty properties are not eligible
  • households where the person living there is not the one responsible for council tax are not eligible
  • up to 20 million households in England will qualify

The scheme is for England only.

How it will be paid

If you pay council tax by Direct Debit and live in bands A to D, you should not need to do anything. The Government says the money will be paid straight into your bank account.

If you pay another way, the council will invite you to apply.

The Government has not given a payment date beyond “from January 2027”. When we checked Havering Council’s news page on 31 October, it had published nothing yet on how it will run the scheme locally.

If you are in band E or above

The Budget sets aside £100 million for councils across England to give discretionary help to households outside bands A to D. Each council will set its own rules and publish how to apply “once local arrangements are in place”, the Government says.

How much of that £100 million comes to Havering has not been published.

Households on means-tested benefits may also qualify for the separate £150 Warm Home Discount, whatever their band.

The rest of the Budget’s energy measures

  • VAT on household electricity was cut to 0% on 1 October. The Budget extends that until July 2027.
  • Standing charges on gas bills: the Government has asked Ofgem to move them onto the unit rate “as early as 2027”. Low gas users should pay less; high gas users could pay more.
  • Energy debt: households on means-tested or disability benefits, and pensioners, with debts built up since 2022 may have them written off through a Debt Relief Scheme, if they re-engage with their supplier. Ofgem will consult on the details.

What the council’s leader said

Councillor Keith Prince, Leader of Havering Council, responded to the Budget on 29 October. He called it “the usual smoke and mirrors” and “a mixed bag”. He said “it is good news that they are looking at the cost of living”. His statement did not mention the energy payment.

He said Havering has no certainty about its own funding “for at least another two or three years”.

What it means for you

  • Check your band. Use the Government’s Check your council tax band service, or look at your bill.
  • If you are in bands A to D and pay by Direct Debit, you should not need to apply. Keep your bank details up to date with the council.
  • If you do not pay by Direct Debit, watch for a letter or email from Havering Council inviting you to apply.
  • Beware of scams. The Government says nobody other than your council should contact you about the payment. If a message asks for your details, check with the council first.
  • If you are in band E or above and struggling, look out for the council’s discretionary fund once it is announced.

We will update this story when Havering publishes how it will pay the money.

Sources