What you are entitled to?
Can I get help paying my bills?
The Government has announced measures to help households with the cost of their energy bills.
Money off energy bills
All households in Britain will get £400 off their energy bills between October 2022 and March 2023. This is known as the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS). The EBSS is a discount, not a loan – so you don't have to pay this money back through future bills.
In most cases, this has been credited to electricity accounts automatically each month. If you pay by prepayment meter it's either been credited to the meter or you'll have received vouchers which you should redeem as soon as possible.
If vouchers have been lost, have expired or haven't been received, contact your supplier to ask for them to be reissued. All vouchers must be redeemed by 30 June 2023.
Energy Price Guarantee
This limits the amount suppliers can charge per unit of energy. It's in place from October 2022 until April 2024 and currently replaces the energy price cap. The price guarantee discount is applied automatically to energy bills and prepayment meter rates. Energy suppliers should have also adjusted fixed tariffs that are at a higher rate.
It means that a ‘typical’ household will pay an average of £2,500 per year for their energy, saving them an estimated £1,100 since the scheme began, compared to undiscounted energy prices. But your bills will still be based on your usage – so you may find you pay more or less than the 'typical' household.
If you don't get support directly from the price guarantee because of the way you pay for your bills or get your energy – for example if you pay for your energy as part of your rent or are on a heat network, this support should still be passed through to you.
Help with bills at the current £2,500 level has been extended until the end of June 2023.
One-off payments
This year (2023-24), you may also be entitled to one or more lump-sum payments. These are:
· a £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment for households that receive the Winter Fuel Payment. This is a top-up to your Winter Fuel Payment in November/December.
· a £900 Cost of Living Payment for households on means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit and Universal Credit.
· a £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment for those receiving disability benefits, such as Attendance Allowance.
Exact payment windows will be announced closer to the time but are being spread across a longer period to ensure a consistent support offering throughout the year. They will broadly be as follows:
· £301 – First Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2023
· £150 – Disability Cost of Living Payment – during Summer 2023
· £300 – Second Cost of Living Payment – during Autumn 2023
· £300 – Pensioner Cost of Living Payment – during Winter 2023/4
· £299 – Third Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2024
If individuals are eligible, they should be paid automatically and there'll be no need to apply.
To be eligible for the First Cost of Living Payment (during Spring 2023), you must have been entitled to a Pension Credit payment between 26 January and 25 February 2023. Or you must have been entitled to payment of Universal Credit for an assessment period ending between these dates.
To be eligible for the Disability Cost of Living Payment, you need to have been on a qualifying disability benefit on 1 April 2023. Qualifying benefits include Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance.
If you qualify, you should receive the £150 cost of living payment automatically between 20 June and 4 July.
None of these payments are taxable and they won't count towards the benefit cap or affect your benefit entitlement.
Household Support Fund
This is a payment to help those considered most in need with the rising cost of food, gas and electric, and water bills. Each local council decide their own eligibility criteria – though money should be specifically set aside for older people. Contact your council if you want to know more.
If you're eligible for any of the payments listed above you'll be paid automatically, in most circumstances. You shouldn't be contacted and asked to apply or asked for any personal details. If you are contacted, this might be a scam. Find out more about spotting and reporting scams.
What extra money are you entitled to?
Do you know what benefits you are entitled to? Our Benefits Calculator can help you, quickly and easily, to find out what you could be claiming.
What other on-going financial support is available?
If you're finding it hard to keep up with energy price increases this winter, you might be entitled to financial support.
Warm Home Discount
This is a one-off payment to help with the cost of energy over winter. It's usually added as credit to your electricity bill. This winter (2022-23), it's rising from £140 to £150. It's likely you're entitled to this if you or your partner receive the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit.
Find out more about the Warm Home Discount scheme
Winter Fuel Payment
You could be entitled to an annual one-off payment of £100-£300 depending on how old you are, who you live with and any benefits you receive. This year (2022-23), eligible households will get an extra £300 top-up to help with the cost of living. There's more information about this below.
If you're over State Pension age – which is currently 66 years old – and receive the State Pension then you should be paid automatically. Payments are usually made between November and December.
Find out more about Winter Fuel Payments
Not receiving means-tested benefits?
If you're not currently claiming means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit, it's worth putting in a claim as soon as possible.
When making a claim, you should request backdating on the claim form as it won't be done automatically. It's important to act quickly as Pension Credit can only be backdated for up to three months.
If you want to know more, use our online benefits calculator or call the advice line on 0800 678 1602.
What support can I get from my energy supplier?
If you're finding it difficult to keep up with energy bills or you owe money to your energy supplier, your supplier has a duty to help.
You can ask your energy supplier for:
· a review of your payments or debt repayments
· payment breaks or reductions
· more time to pay your bills
· access to hardship funds
· Priority Service registration.
You may be able to register for Priority Services depending on your circumstances, this includes if you're over State Pension age or if you're living with a disability. The Priority Services Register gives you access to a range of support, including priority assistance in an emergency, advance notice of planned power cuts and help with prepayment meter access and meter readings.
Find out more about the Priority Services Register from Ofgem
Each energy supplier and network operator has its own Priority Services Register. You can register with both by phone or, for some companies, you can register online.
Find your energy supplier and your network operator on the Ofgem website
Some energy suppliers have their own special funding schemes or provide support through national schemes such as the Energy Company Obligation. These provide a range of financial support, debt relief, energy advice, and the installation of energy efficiency improvements which can help lower your bills. Check with your supplier to see what support you might be entitled to.
Energy saving tips to reduce energy bills
Below are some simple energy saving tips to help you to cut down your energy bills.
Keep an eye on your lights
Turn lights off when you leave a room, but not at the expense of your safety – keep stairs and other areas well-lit to reduce your risk of falling.
Replacing traditional light bulbs with LED bulbs will save you money.
Switch off appliances now and again
Switch appliances off when they're not in use rather than leaving them on standby. But you shouldn't turn off your fridge or freezer, as this could mean your food goes off sooner than it should.
Defrost your freezer every six months – this will ensure it runs efficiently.
Many new appliances come with an energy rating. You should choose the best energy rating you can.
Cut down your water bill
Shower instead of taking a bath – a short shower can use a third of the amount of water needed for a bath. If it's easier for you to take baths, consider not filling the tub all the way – the average full bath uses 80 litres of water.
Fix any dripping taps – a dripping tap can waste the equivalent of half a bath a week and it'll cost you extra if you’re on a water meter.
Do the washing up in a bowl rather than under running water to save money. For hot drinks, only boil the amount of water you need.
Control the temperatures in your home
Run the washing machine at a lower temperature – you can often do everyday washes at 30°C. Washing clothes at 30°C uses around 40% less electricity over a year than washing at higher temperatures.
Use your heating controls, such as thermostats and timers, to heat your home without wasting energy.
Make sure you keep your living room (or whichever room you use most) warm during the day while you’re at home at 21°C (70°F). Heat your bedroom to 18°C (64°F) before you go to bed. If there are rooms you don’t use, like a spare bedroom, turn off the radiators in them and close the doors.
Keep radiators and heaters clear so hot air can circulate. Don’t forget to draw your curtains and tuck them behind radiators to minimise heat loss.
Have a look at your windows
Make sure doors and windows are draught-proofed to stop heat from escaping. To do this, fit draught-proofing strips and draught excluders around doors, seal gaps around window frames and add covers to letterboxes and keyholes.
Double-glazing also stops heat from escaping, as well as minimising noise from the outside – you could save money on your heating bills if you install it throughout your home. You can choose to double-glaze the rooms you use and heat most often to keep installation costs down.
Major energy saving changes for your home
Insulating roof and loft spaces can really reduce heat loss in your home and save you over £200 per year. Most homes have some loft insulation but often not enough. Topping up your loft insulation will make your home warmer and save you money on your energy bills.
If your home has cavity walls – a space between the inner and outer layers of brick – they can be insulated. Insulating your cavity walls will make your home feel warmer and in a typical home cavity wall insulation can save between £100-£200 a year.
Help with the cost of energy-saving measures
Larger measures can be expensive to carry out, but financial help may be available. Larger energy suppliers are part of a scheme called the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) that may be able to fund or part-fund the work. You can get help from any participating supplier – they don’t have to supply your energy.
