Energy

Warm Home Discount is a government-led scheme aimed at people living in, or at risk of, fuel poverty over the winter period. There are a number of ways the scheme can offer support, including rebates.

To qualify, a household will need to have high energy bills
AND be eligible for one of the qualifying means-tested benefits.

Keep an eye on the supplier’s website for the most up to date information on the Warm Home Discount.

British Gas offers support and advice if you are struggling to cope with your bills.

• Free energy efficiency advice – 0800 072 8629 or visit the link below
• Additional Support Credit – if you have used all your Emergency Credit, you may be entitled to additional credit; this will however need to be paid back.
• Nominee scheme – someone else can receive your bills if you’re going to be away for a while.
• Alternative payment methods e.g. tariff or meter switches, Fuel Direct scheme or instalment plans – to help you manage your payment.

British Gas funds the independent charity, British Gas Energy Trust which incorporates the Scottish Gas Energy Trust.

The Trust helps families and individuals experiencing hardship who are struggling with gas and electricity debts by awarding grants to clear those debts. You do not have to be a British Gas customer to be able to apply, but you must:

• Have received money advice in the last 6 months
• Have electric and/or gas debt on an active account
• Be in or at risk of Fuel Poverty
• Have not received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust within the last 2 years

You can apply to their Priority Services Register which is completely free and allows you to access extra help both in emergencies and general life. To find out more about the Priority Services Register, visit Bill’s page.

The E.ON Energy Fund has been set up to help you if you are struggling to pay your E.ON energy bill. The Fund can help pay for current or final E.ON energy bill arrears.

The Fund can help pay for current or final E.ON energy bill arrears. It can also help you by providing replacement household items such as cookers, fridges, fridge-freezers and washing machines – and also help to replace gas boilers.

Applications from individuals with the greatest needs will be prioritised. When applying, you must have:

• Received independent money advice from an approved agency
• A willingness to pay your ongoing energy bills
• Be able to evidence any benefits you are in receipt of or medical conditions

Find out more online or by contacting 03303 80 10 90

You can apply to their Priority Services Register which is completely free and allows you to access extra help both in emergencies and general life.

To find out more about the Priority Services Register, visit Bill’s page.

Warm Home Discount is a government-led scheme aimed at people living in, or at risk of, fuel poverty over the winter period. There are a number of ways the scheme can offer support, including rebates.

To qualify, a household will need to have high energy bills
AND be eligible for one of the qualifying means-tested benefits.

Keep an eye on the supplier’s website for the most up to date information on the Warm Home Discount.

If you are on certain benefits, you can use your benefits to pay off your energy debt through this government scheme.

The Department of Work and Pensions would take a set amount from your benefits each week to pay both your debt and ongoing costs so that you would not even have to think about it.

You can apply to join the scheme through EDF if you are on any of the following:

• Universal Credit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit.

This is a government-led eco scheme that helps you heat your home in an energy-efficient way. It allows you to spend less on your monthly bills and support being friendlier to the environment too.

If you are eligible, the scheme can include a new boiler, as well as free cavity wall and loft insulation. To be eligible, you or someone living at the property would need to receive certain benefits which are listed on the following link.

Warm Home Discount is a government-led scheme aimed at people living in, or at risk of, fuel poverty over the winter period. There are a number of ways the scheme can offer support, including rebates.

To qualify, a household will need to have high energy bills
AND be eligible for one of the qualifying means-tested benefits.

Keep an eye on the supplier’s website for the most up to date information on the Warm Home Discount.

The EDF Customer Support Fund awards grants to you if you are in a vulnerable situation. It helps to clear domestic gas and/or electricity debts and to help you remain debt-free. It can also offer help to provide essential energy-efficient white goods.

You can apply to their Priority Services Register which is completely free and allows you to access extra help both in emergencies and general life. To find out more about the Priority Services Register, visit Bill’s page.

If you’re struggling with energy bills and debt in general and are an EDF customer, you can receive independent advice from this service. It is run by Citizens Advice Plymouth, and they can also support you to complete applications for the EDF Customer Support Fund.

EDF work with IncomeMAX to provide you as a customer with a Benefit Entitlement Check to make sure you are claiming the right welfare benefits and tax credits you are entitled to.

If you are on certain benefits, you can use your benefits to pay off your energy debt through this government scheme.

The Department of Work and Pensions would take a set amount from your benefits each week to pay both your debt and ongoing costs so that you would not even have to think about it.

You can apply to join the scheme through EDF if you:

• have an EDF energy account
• owe us £71 or more in debt
• can’t pay by Direct Debit or can’t have a prepayment meter.

You also need to be on at least one of these benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit

You can apply to their Priority Services Register which is completely free and allows you to access extra help both in emergencies and general life.

Eligibility is related to age, ill health or disability, including blindness, deafness and chronic illnesses, or if you need additional support with communication – see a full list on their website. Services include:

• Extra help in the event of supply interruption.
• Password scheme (to protect against bogus callers)
• Help with reading your bill including large print, audio bill reading and Braille
• Home visits and meter readings
• Nominee service

Warm Home Discount is a government-led scheme aimed at people living in, or at risk of, fuel poverty over the winter period. There are a number of ways the scheme can offer support, including rebates.

To qualify, a household will need to have high energy bills
AND be eligible for one of the qualifying means-tested benefits.

Keep an eye on the supplier’s website for the most up to date information on the Warm Home Discount.

Octopus Energy have helped to fund LEAP, an energy and money saving service that can help you keep warm during the colder months and reduce your energy bills by offering advice, tips, and an assessment into your situation to make sure you’re receiving all the available help.

LEAP has some very broad eligibility requirements, extending the service to anyone that either is already in, or is at risk of falling into fuel poverty. It is open to all types of householders – homeowners, private renters and social housing tenants. To be eligible, you  should have an annual household income less than £31,000 or receive certain benefits.

OVO’s  £40  million Customer Support Package includes a broad range of measures to support you if you have a real and immediate need this winter. It includes things like:

• Direct financial relief: Direct Debit relief, emergency top-up, and extended repayment plans  if you are struggling to pay for your energy.
• Hardship Scheme: Additional support for customers via a wide range of interventions, accessed through OVO’s support team.
• Specialist support: Dedicated support from a highly-trained team, including support if you are in financial difficulty or struggling for the first time.
• Free and discounted products and services: A range of free and heavily discounted products and services like Smart kits; LED bulbs and SMART sockets, boiler servicing and electric throws or mattress toppers – prioritised for those who need extra support.
• Funding to support key charities on the frontline of the cost of living crisis, including StepChange and Trussell Trust..

If you are on certain benefits, you can use your benefits to pay off your energy debt through this government scheme. The Department of Work and Pensions would take a set amount from your benefits each week to pay both your debt and ongoing costs so that you would not even have to think about it.

You can apply to join the scheme through either Jobcentre or your pension centre if you are on any of the following:

• Universal Credit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit.

If you need support with anything from meter reading to gas safety checks, OVO can help. You can apply to their Priority Services Register which is completely free and allows you to access extra help both in emergencies and general life. To find out more about the Priority Services Register, visit Bill’s page.

Warm Home Discount is a government-led scheme aimed at people living in, or at risk of, fuel poverty over the winter period. There are a number of ways the scheme can offer support, including rebates.

To qualify, a household will need to have high energy bills
AND be eligible for one of the qualifying means-tested benefits.

Keep an eye on the supplier’s website for the most up to date information on the Warm Home Discount.

You can apply to their Priority Services Register which is completely free and allows you to access extra help both in emergencies and general life. To find out more about the Priority Services Register, visit Bill’s page.

Because some customers have difficulties paying their bills due to low income or other circumstances, ScottishPower has a Hardship Fund to help them get their energy payments under control. The Fund can help by clearing or reducing arrears by crediting a customer’s ScottishPower energy account.

Qualification for the Fund depends on whether you:

• Receive certain benefits; or
• Have a low household income or experienced an income reduction due to special circumstances and
• Have a debt to ScottishPower exceeding £100

Freephone: 0800 027 0072
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm,
Saturday 8.30am – 4pm
For help paying your bills either call them or visit www.scottishpower.co.uk/helpingyou

They will take into account any debt advice provided to you and can offer a range of payment and tariff options including long term instalment plans, the Fuel Direct scheme and Prepayment meters to help you budget.

Their website offers energy efficiency tips and a free survey to help you identify measures that can be implemented that may help save energy.

You can apply to their Priority Services Register which is completely free and allows you to access extra help both in emergencies and general life. To find out more about the Priority Services Register, visit Bill’s page.

For Shell’s Priority Services Register helpline, call 0330 094 5800

Warm Home Discount is a government-led scheme aimed at people living in, or at risk of, fuel poverty over the winter period. There are a number of ways the scheme can offer support, including rebates.

To qualify, a household will need to have high energy bills
AND be eligible for one of the qualifying means-tested benefits.

Keep an eye on the supplier’s website for the most up to date information on the Warm Home Discount.

If you are on certain benefits, you can use your benefits to pay off your energy debt through this government scheme. The Department of Work and Pensions would take a set amount from your benefits each week to pay both your debt and ongoing costs so that you would not even have to think about it.

You can apply to join the scheme through either Jobcentre or your pension centre if you are on any of the following:

• Universal Credit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit

If you are struggling to pay all or part of your energy bills, Shell recommend contacting them directly to discuss what options they have to help.

The suggested payment solutions will include:

• Agreeing an affordable debt repayment plan
• Creating an instalment plan for future bills
• A short-term payment holiday
• Joining the Fuel Direct Scheme
• Accessing their £5 million support fund

The Shell Energy Support Fund has been set up to help you if you are struggling to afford your energy bills. The fund can help reduce debt through issuing grants. Each grant will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. There is no set criteria for eligibility.

To apply, you should discuss your situation with a Shell Energy customer adviser.

To contact Shell’s customer services, call 0330 094 5800 or email customer.services@shellenergy.co.uk

You can apply to their Priority Services Register which is completely free and allows you to access extra help both in emergencies and general life. To find out more about the Priority Services Register, visit Bill’s page.

If you are on certain benefits, you can use your benefits to pay off your energy debt through this government scheme. The Department of Work and Pensions would take a set amount from your benefits each week to pay both your debt and ongoing costs so that you would not even have to think about it.

You can apply to join the scheme through either Jobcentre or your pension centre if you are on any of the following:

• Universal Credit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit

Warm Home Discount is a government-led scheme aimed at people living in, or at risk of, fuel poverty over the winter period. There are a number of ways the scheme can offer support, including rebates.

To qualify, a household will need to have high energy bills
AND be eligible for one of the qualifying means-tested benefits.

Keep an eye on the supplier’s website for the most up to date information on the Warm Home Discount.

If you use the My Utilita app, you may have access to the Power Up feature. This allows you to apply for a top up when you have run out of credit and are worried about going off supply. You can get up to £30 gas and £20 electric credit with no extra charges.

This is only a short-term solution and the charges would need to be paid back but it can help you out of an immediate situation. To be eligible, you would need to have no debt on your account and -£4.00 credit.