What support is available?

1. Warm Home Discount Scheme
2. Winter Fuel Payment
3. Budget Direct Debit
4. If you can’t afford to top up your prepayment meter
5. If you don’t use mains-gas or electricity for your heating
6. Cold Weather Payments
7. Child Winter Heating Payment (Scotland only)
8. Grants to help pay off your energy debts
9. Local energy grants
10. Extra help from your supplier
11. Get money back if you pay council tax

1. Warm Home Discount Scheme

You might be able to get £150 off your electricity bill or £150 added to your prepayment meter.

If you have a standard credit meter, the money is provided as a £150 rebate applied to your electricity or gas bill between October and March. If you’re on a prepay meter, you’ll usually be sent a top-up voucher.

The scheme is now different in England and Wales from that in Scotland. In England and Wales, you no longer need to apply for the warm home discount, it’ll be awarded automatically to those on pension credit and certain benefits, who are eligible. In Scotland, some will still need to apply to get it.

Check if you’re eligible for the Warm Home Discount: https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme.

You should start getting the Winter Fuel Payment automatically and you can find out more about the Winter Fuel Payment on GOV.UK.

3. Budget Direct Debit

Make budgeting easier by spreading your bills across the year.

We’ll work out your monthly payment and let you choose which day of the month we debit your account.

To set up a direct debit for your account, you will need to contact
us for a budget account facility.

This only takes a few minutes to do over the phone, and you can reach us on:
0800 574 574

6. Cold Weather Payments

If you’re in debt to your energy supplier, you might be able to get a grant to help pay it off.

The following energy suppliers offer grants to their customers:

British Gas Energy Support Fund – apply for a grant on the British Gas Energy Trust website.

Scottish Power Hardship Fund – apply for a grant on the Scottish Power Hardship Fund website.

Ovo Energy Fund – apply for a grant on the Ovo Energy Fund website.

E.ON Energy Fund – apply for a grant on the E.ON Energy Fund website.

E.ON Next Energy Fund – apply for a grant on the E.ON Next Energy Fund website.

EDF Energy Customer Support Fund – sign up to the priority services register to apply for a grant on the EDF Energy website.

Bulb Energy Fund – apply for a grant on the Bulb Energy Fund website.

Octopus ‘Octo Assist Fund’ – apply for a grant on the Octopus website.

If you can’t get a grant from your supplier, you might be able to get a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust. These grants are available to anyone – you don’t have to be a British Gas customer. You’ll need to get debt advice before applying – get help from a debt adviser.

If you’ve already spoken to a debt adviser – check if you can get a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust.

Before you apply

When you apply for a grant, you’ll have to provide detailed information about your financial situation in your application. It could take a while to complete, and it might be worth getting help from a friend or family member. You can also talk to a Citizen’s Advice adviser for help filling in forms.

It’s worth checking on the trust or fund website if there’s anything else you need to do before you apply.

For example, if your supplier is E.ON, E.ON Next or EDF you’ll need to show you’ve completed a budget sheet with a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approved adviser. To do this:

Find an adviser using the debt advice locator on the Money Helper website.

Check if the adviser or their firm is on the FCA register.

Contact the adviser to arrange a conversation where you’ll complete a budget sheet.

You can get ready for your conversation by using the Budget Planner on the Money Helper website.

9. Local energy grants

Check if you can get a local energy grant on the Simple Energy Advice website.

You might also be able to find grants or schemes run by your local council.

Find your local council on GOV.UK.

10. Extra help from your supplier

You might be able to get extra help and support from your mains energy supplier by signing up to the Priority Services Register. You can sign up for a number of reasons - including if you’ve reached state pension age, you’re disabled or sick, if you have children under the age of five or if your energy network considers you ‘vulnerable’. The PSR is a free UK wide service which provides extra advice and support, including when there’s an interruption to your electricity, gas or water supply.

Your energy supplier can help you with things like:

• reading your energy meter

• moving your energy meter free of charge

• Upgrading to a smart meter to help manage costs

• getting your bills sent or copied to someone else – for example, a carer

11. Get money back if you pay council tax

You can get £150 back from the council to help pay your energy bills – this is called a ‘rebate’.

You’ll get the rebate if you pay council tax and your home is in council tax bands A to D. You can find your band on your council tax bill or check your council tax band on GOV.UK.

You’ll only get the rebate if you’re the person who has to pay council tax for your household. Only one person per household will get the rebate.

You’ll get the rebate even if you:

• get a Council Tax Reduction, including a full reduction, and your home is in bands A to D
• get the Disabled Band Reduction discount and your home is in bands A to E
• are subject to immigration control and your biometric residence permit says “no recourse to public funds”

If you get benefits, the rebate won’t affect them.

If you can’t get the rebate, the council might still offer you financial help. For example, they might help you if you’re in council tax bands E to H and you get certain benefits. Contact your local council to see if they can help you – find your local council on GOV.UK.

How you’ll get the rebate

If you set up a direct debit to pay your council tax before the end of March 2022, your council should pay you automatically. Local councils will start to make the payments directly into bank accounts in April 2022.

If you don’t pay by direct debit or didn’t set up a direct debit before the end of March 2022, you should still get a rebate.

Your local council will contact you – they’ll probably ask you to complete an online form.

After you’ve given the council your details, they’ll make the payment as soon as possible.

If you don’t hear from your council, contact them to check how you can claim the rebate. You should contact them before 30 September 2022 when the scheme closes. Find your local council on GOV.UK.

If your bank account is overdrawn

You can ask your bank to use this £150 rebate to pay your energy bills instead of paying off your overdraft. This is known as ‘exercising your first right of appropriation’. You can check how to exercise your first right of appropriation on National Debtline.

Find out more about the rebate here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/council-tax-rebate-factsheet