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 * Get help paying your energy bills - Uswitch


GET HELP PAYING YOUR ENERGY BILLS

Written by Ben Gallizzi, Senior Content Editor - Energy and Electric
VehiclesSeptember 6, 2023
If you find you're struggling to pay your energy bills, there's plenty of help
out there — from government grants to supplier support.
Share this guide



LET YOUR SUPPLIER KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

In most cases, it’s best to get ahead of any problems with paying as early as
possible, so let your supplier know that you’re struggling to pay - they’re
obligated by Ofgem to help you come up with a workable payment plan, so the
earlier they know, the better. There are a range of options they might be able
to offer on a case-by-case basis, including:

 * More time to pay

 * Payment breaks

 * Payment reductions

 * Access to hardship funds.

However your repayment plan is structured, don’t worry - your energy supply
won’t be cut off.


ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR GOVERNMENT DISCOUNT SCHEMES?

There are plenty of government schemes available to help you cut the cost of
your energy bills. Our tool below (updated for winter 2023-24) can help you
quickly work out which ones you're eligible for - you can find out more about
each scheme below.




WARM HOME DISCOUNT

If you receive pension credit or one of a number of other benefits, you could be
eligible for the government's Warm Home Discount. This scheme is a one-off £150
rebate on the cost of your electricity bill. If you're eligible and your
supplier offers the scheme, you'll usually receive the discount automatically
between October and March.

Our Warm Home Discount guide can give you more information, including which
suppliers offer the scheme.


WINTER FUEL PAYMENT

The Winter Fuel Payment is a payment from the government to help the elderly pay
for their energy over the winter months. While most people are enrolled
automatically you should still check if you’re not sure whether you qualify. If
you are aged 60 or over, you may qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment of up to
£300, to help you meet the costs of keeping warm in the winter.

To find out more about the payment and to see if you qualify, visit the Uswitch
guide to the  Winter Fuel Payment.


COLD WEATHER PAYMENT

The Cold Weather Payment is similar to the Winter Fuel Payment, but only rarely
comes into force. The Cold Weather Payment is a £25 payment for each week that
the temperature drops below zero Celsius for seven consecutive days. The payment
is only available for cold weather snaps that occur between 1 November and 31
March, and households must qualify.

For more information and to see if you qualify, visit the Cold Weather Payment
guide page.


HARDSHIP FUNDS

Hardship funds are available from all the bigger suppliers. These are funds
specifically earmarked to help customers in need, and often include grants and
other help to upgrade boilers and improve insulation. The application process
can be fairly rigorous - it varies between suppliers but at a minimum, you’ll
probably need to provide breakdowns of your income and expenditure - so you’ll
need to speak to a debt advisor (as a requirement) before applying.

Find out more about the help offered by the bigger energy suppliers below:

 * British Gas - as well as all the usual ways of helping people with energy
   payments, including payment plans, the possibility of installing a prepayment
   meter and so on, the British Gas Energy Trust, may be able to help the most
   vulnerable customers. To date, it has doubled the emergency credit available
   to customers who are on prepayment meters and its Support Fund has been
   increased to £6 million, among other actions

 * EDF Energy - along with the Priority Services Register, EDF works with
   various third-party organisations to support customers with managing their
   money, increasing income through financial benefits and helping with energy
   debts via a Customer Support Fund, which it has increased to £6.4 million

 * E.ON Next - in addition to the Priority Services Register, there is an E.ON
   Next Energy Fund initiative available to help the most vulnerable customers

 * Octopus - along with the usual ways of supporting customers who require help
   managing their bills, Octopus set up a £5 million Octo Assist Fund for
   customers specifically to help through the winter of 2021-22, which has now
   been increased to £7 million. It has also implemented schemes to help
   customers understand their energy usage better and help them through the
   colder months with donations of electric blankets

 * OVO - customers having trouble paying their energy bills are supported in a
   range of ways, including coming up with payment plans, giving guidance,
   taking payment directly via schemes like Fuel Direct, providing help via the
   OVO Energy Fund and more. It has also provided a £2m package of support to
   StepChange

 * ScottishPower - among other measures, ScottishPower offers advice and support
   when it comes to paying energy bills and devising payment plans. It also has
   a Hardship Fund designed to help reduce or clear arrears for those customers
   most in need.

If you're with a supplier not on the list and you're struggling with your bills,
it's worth getting in touch with them to see what support they're able to offer.
It's worth pointing out that even if you owe your energy supplier or you
are renting your property, you still have the right to switch in order to save
money, though that's not much of an option with few deals around right now.


COUNCIL ASSISTANCE VIA THE HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT FUND

Councils are able to help customers in need by dipping into the Household
Support Fund, which is £842 million available to councils in England to support
those most in need between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. It’s not solely an
energy fund - it was established to help people as a result of the pandemic, so
it could be used for other utilities and essentials. Eligibility depends on the
council, so it’s worth getting in touch to see if you qualify.


CHARITY HELP WITH ENERGY BILLS

There are a number of charities which are available for help and advice if
you're struggling to manage your energy bills, as well.

 * StepChange - available online or by calling 0800 138 1111, StepChange
   provides free debt advice to those who need it

 * NEA (National Energy Action) - available online or by calling 0800 304 7159,
   NEA provides free debt advice to those who need it in England and Wales

 * Home Energy Scotland - available online or by calling 0808 196 8660, Home
   Energy Scotland provides free debt advice to those who need it in Scotland,
   as well as checking your eligibility for funding options such as grants and
   interest-free loans

 * NI Energy Advice - available online or by calling 0800 111 4455, NI Energy
   Advice provides impartial energy advice for those living in Northern Ireland

 * Citizens Advice - available online or by calling 0808 223 1133, Citizens
   Advice provides impartial energy advice and can also provide dedicated
   support to the most vulnerable customers

 * National Debt Line - available online or by calling 0808 808 4000, National
   Debt Line provides free and independent debt advice to those living in
   England, Scotland and Wales

 * Age UK - available online or by calling 0800 169 6565 (0800 124 4222 in
   Scotland), this is the leading charity for helping older people

 * Scope - available online or by calling 0808 801 0828, Scope is a charity that
   offers free energy advice to disabled people on subjects including managing
   debt, accessing benefits and grants, understanding bills and registering for
   the Priority Services Register.

These are just some of the charities that can help you find solutions to
managing your payments and provide free, expert, non-judgemental and
confidential advice and support. There may also be localised initiatives and
groups that can help in your specific area, so take a look around to see what
might be available to you if you need it.


DEBT RESPITE SCHEME

The Debt Respite Scheme is designed to give people struggling with bills some
breathing space - if you’re eligible, your creditors will not be allowed to
continue with any enforcement activity or add any further fees or interest for
the duration. Check out StepChange for more details on applying.


COST OF LIVING HELP IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND WALES

The government has committed to the following relief measures for energy
customers:

 * £900 for those on certain means-tested benefits to be paid in spring 2023,
   autumn 2023 and spring 2024

 * £300 for pensioners (in addition to the Winter Fuel Payment) to be paid in
   winter 2023-24

 * £150 for those on disability benefits to be paid in summer 2023.

Councils and local authorities are also allocated government funding to help
vulnerable households.


DIRECT PAY FROM BENEFITS

A government scheme called Fuel Direct allows customers on certain benefits to
pay energy debts directly from the benefit payments. The Jobcentre or Pension
Centre will be able to set it up for you. Those on Universal Credit will have 5%
deducted, while those on other benefits (such as jobseeker’s allowance, income
support, pension credit and so on) will have £3.70 deducted each week, plus an
additional cost for ongoing usage. If that amount comes to less than 25% of your
benefits, though, the payment to the supplier may have already been set up
without your permission, so make sure you check.


FREE INSULATION AND BOILER GRANTS

We know that improving energy efficiency can be key in helping keep heating
costs down, but adding insulation or replacing a boiler can be some of the most
expensive measures to take. However, there is help available from different
organisations for those eligible. If you need help finding any schemes you might
be eligible for, take a look at the Simple Energy Advice website, the Energy
Saving Trust or Home Energy Scotland.


ENERGY SAVING TIPS

Finally, it's also possible to save on your energy bills by cutting back on your
usage. We've rounded up some clever ways to save energy in our guide. You can
also download Utrack, Uswitch's new free mobile app, which connects to your
smart meter and gives you personalised insights into your energy usage. This
will show you where you can make positive changes to keep bills down as much as
possible - find out more below.




IN THIS GUIDE


 * Let your supplier know as soon as possible
 * Are you eligible for government discount schemes?
 * Warm Home Discount
 * Winter Fuel Payment
 * Cold Weather Payment
 * Hardship funds
 * Council assistance via the Household Support Fund
 * Charity help with energy bills
 * Debt Respite Scheme
 * Cost of living help in England, Scotland and Wales
 * Direct pay from benefits
 * Free insulation and boiler grants
 * Energy saving tips


READ MORE:


COLD WEATHER PAYMENTS: FIND OUT IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE & HOW TO CLAIM - USWITCH

Are you eligible for a Cold Weather Payment this year? Find out if you could
claim £25 for every week of cold weather this winter.

Learn more


WARM HOME DISCOUNT SCHEME 2023-24 - USWITCH

Discover all you need to know about the government-funded Warm Home Discount
scheme - a guide to help eligible homes save money on their energy bills in 2023
and 2024.

Learn more


GOVERNMENT ENERGY RELIEF MEASURES: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

The government has announced a series of relief measures aimed at helping energy
customers through a difficult financial period. Find out what's on the table
here.

Learn more
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