About 122,260 Lewisham homes, 90.7%, are in bands A to D, the bands the Budget's £100 energy payment covers from January. Third highest in London.

Nine in every ten Lewisham homes 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. Payments start in January 2027, the Government says.

Lewisham has 122,260 homes in bands A to D, out of 134,760 on the valuation list. That is 90.7%, the third highest share of any London borough. The figures come from the Valuation Office Agency’s count of properties in each band at 31 March 2026.

That leaves about 12,500 Lewisham homes in bands E to H, which get nothing from the main scheme.

How Lewisham compares

Only Barking and Dagenham (97.3%) and Newham (92.5%) have a bigger share of homes in bands A to D. Lewisham is well above London as a whole, at 69.3%, and above England, at 80.8%.

The contrast with the next borough south is sharp. In Bromley, 55.4% of homes are in bands A to D. Greenwich is at 84.5% and Southwark at 76.6%.

Bar chart of the share of homes in council tax bands A to D at 31 March 2026: Barking and Dagenham 97.3%, Newham 92.5%, Lewisham 90.7%, Greenwich 84.5%, England 80.8%, Southwark 76.6%, London 69.3%, Bromley 55.4%.
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 Lewisham News
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Band C is the biggest single band in Lewisham, with 48,390 homes. Band B has 36,740, band D 27,920 and band A 9,210.

A Band D household in Lewisham pays £2,237.33 in council tax this year, so the £100 is about 4.5% of that bill. On a Band A bill of £1,491.56 it is about 6.7%. Our council tax page has every band.

Neighbourhood by neighbourhood

The same VOA table breaks the borough into 37 neighbourhoods. In most of them, more than nine homes in ten are in bands A to D. The lowest shares are in Blackheath, Forest Hill West and Culverley Green in Catford.

Neighbourhood Homes in bands A to D All homes Share
Central Lewisham North 5,070 5,070 100%
Downham East 3,020 3,030 99.7%
Beckenham Hill 3,210 3,230 99.4%
Further Green 2,640 2,670 98.9%
New Cross & Deptford South 4,360 4,440 98.2%
Grove Park & Lee South 2,960 3,580 82.7%
Blackheath West 3,390 4,280 79.2%
Forest Hill West 2,640 3,720 71.0%
Blackheath Village 2,270 3,330 68.2%
Culverley Green 1,820 2,900 62.8%

The neighbourhoods are the House of Commons Library’s names for the ONS middle layer areas. Culverley Green has the most homes outside bands A to D of any Lewisham neighbourhood, at 1,080, level with Forest Hill West.

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 VOA counts include empty homes and second homes, so the number of Lewisham households paid will be a little lower than 122,260.

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.

Lewisham Council published a page on the payment on 29 October. It says the council is “awaiting further guidance from the government” and will publish local arrangements once they are confirmed.

The council also warns that scammers may use the payment as bait. It asks residents to be wary of unexpected calls, texts, emails or social media messages about it, and to report a suspected scam to Report Fraud.

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 Lewisham 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: billpayers on means-tested or disability benefits, and pensioners, with debts built up since the 2022 energy crisis may have them written off through a Debt Relief Scheme, if they re-engage with their supplier. Ofgem will consult on the details.

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 Lewisham Council inviting you to apply.
  • Never give bank details to anyone who contacts you about the payment. The Government says only your council will get in touch. If in doubt, check with the council directly.
  • If you are in band E or above and struggling, look out for the council’s discretionary fund once it is announced. The council’s cost of living page lists other help now.

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

Sources