All the energy bill help you can claim this winter – and you could get up to £4,000 free cash

ENERGY bills will jump to £2,500 from October 1, but struggling households could get up to £4,000 in help to pay for the hikes.

From free cash from local councils to grants from suppliers, support is there if you're falling behind on bills or running up a debt.

It comes as energy bills will jump by hundreds of pounds from £1,971 to £2,500 under the energy price guarantee.

Although it will mean costs are going up, the guarantee will actually save the typical household £1,000, the government claims.

That's because energy bills were originally set to rise to £3,549 this winter.

If you're worried about how you'll afford the hikes, here's all the bill support you can get.

All together, the support comes to £3,999 in total - but you might not be eligible for all the available measures.

Energy bill discount - £400

All households in England, Scotland and Wales will get a £400 energy bill discount.

The help will be paid in six monthly instalments from October until March 2023.

Customers will see a discount of £66 applied to their bills in October and November, and £67 in December, January, February and March.

Energy suppliers are responsible for handing out the discount - and how they will pay it varies.

British Gas, EDF Energy, Ovo Energy and Scottish Power have confirmed they will credit the discount to customers' bank accounts for those paying their bills by direct debit.

Bulb, E.ON and E.ON Next, Shell Energy, Octopus Energy, So Energy, Utilita and Utility Warehouse will not pay the discount into customer bank accounts.

Energy grants - worth up to £1,500

There are energy grants and schemes open to help you out if you're struggling.

British Gas has confirmed it will pay its most vulnerable customers grants worth £750 to help with sky-high bills.

The  has previously paid struggling households up to £1,500 - and you don't need to be a British Gas customer to apply.

Ask your supplier what's on offer and how to apply, or check here:

• Octopus Energy Octo Assist fund

Warm Home Discount - £150

There's no need to claim for the Warm Home Discount this year - instead, the £150 bill help will be dished out automatically to those who qualify.

Millions will get the discount off their energy bills between December - when payments are likely to start - and March 2023.

You'll be eligible for the automatic discount if you received any of the following benefits up to August 21 this year:

• Income support
• Income based jobseeker's allowance
• Income related employment and support allowance
• Housing benefit
• Universal credit
• Child tax credit
• Working tax credits
• Pension credit guaranteed
• Pension credit savings credit

The Department for Work and Pensions, who's overseeing the scheme, will send you letter in October to confirm if you'll get the payment later on in the year.

It's up to individual energy companies to decide when they will give their customers the discount.