History. 2 of 9: within 95 days of the announcement, the government changed who got the money twice (France on day 35, the UK on day 57). Two more changes came later, on days 164 and 176.
Hunch. On 3 November Chancellor John Healey answered a request to pay through benefit and tax records by pointing people outside bands A to D to the councils' £100 million fund.
The market on who gets the payment resolves on GOV.UK: YES if by 31 January 2027 the UK government adds a group to the £100, takes better-off homes out, puts new money above the £100m fund for people outside bands A to D, or names a group councils must help from the fund. Wishes for the fund without a duty or new money, or a higher amount alone, resolve NO, and BBC and The Guardian are the backups.
We looked for cases where a government gave one-off help with energy costs through a ready list, such as council tax bands, power accounts or wages, and then decided whether to change who got it before paying. We found nine such payments in 2021 and 2022. Four times the government added people before the first payment. It never took better-off homes out. Only two of the four changes came within 95 days of the announcement: France on day 35 and the UK on day 57. (BBC; GOV.UK; DW; GOV.UK)