The UK's major energy providers still have money remaining to support struggling households amid the cost of living crisis. Millions of pounds are available in the form of grants to help vulnerable families.
Support will be needed more than ever this year with already heavily increased energy costs set to rise further from April. Prices for the average UK household are scheduled to increase from £2,500 to £3,000 a year.
But assistance is available from the UK's major energy suppliers. While many grants have already been paid out, companies still have funds - sometimes up to thousands of pounds - to help vulnerable households, ChronicleLive reports.
For instance, by the middle of December British Gas still had £7.5 million to give out and Octopus had £15 million to be claimed. And while they wouldn't provide specific figures, EDF, E.on Next, Ovo, and Shell Energy all told Money Saving Expert they all still had funds available.
Scottish Power and Utility Warehouse's grant schemes are also still open for applicants. Bulb, which was sold to Octopus Energy just before Christmas, is no longer taking new applications.
Whether your supplier offers support, who qualifies, and how much you'll get varies. Scottish Power, for example, requires people to be on certain benefits, while Utility Warehouse requires people to be in fuel poverty, or about to go into energy debt.
Most suppliers require applicants to have spoken to a debt adviser such as StepChange before applying, complete an income and expenditure budgeting form, provide proof of income, give details of how arrears have built up, and detail how the grant will help them. Those deemed to have the greatest need are likely to be prioritised.
One supplier, British Gas, has a scheme open to all customers, regardless of whether they buy their energy from British Gas or not. The grant, from the British Gas Energy Trust, will pay up to £1,500 to households in In fuel debt of £250 or more and with no savings over £1,000.
You can't apply if you have had a British Gas grant in the past two years. British Gas also has a scheme specifically for its customers.
British Gas
Name of fund: Energy Support Fund
Maximum payment: £1,500
Criteria to apply:
- Can't have had British Gas grant in past 12 months
- In fuel debt of £250 or more (no requirement regarding maximum savings, though income and outgoings will be assessed)
EDF
Name of fund: Customer Support Fund
Maximum payment: No set limit – depends on your circumstances
Criteria to apply:
- Experiencing hardship, or struggling to manage energy debt
Eon Next
Name of fund: Energy Fund
Maximum payment: No set limit – depends on your circumstances
Criteria to apply:
- No set criteria, but based on needs and ability to pay energy bills
Octopus
Name of fund: Octo Assist Fund
Maximum payment: No set limit – depends on your circumstances
Criteria to apply:
- No specific eligibility criteria
Ovo Energy
Name of fund: Hardship Scheme
Maximum payment: Supplier wouldn't confirm
Criteria to apply:
- Full criteria not yet published but likely to include those in energy debt with little/no disposable income, those using medical equipment and those eligible for the Warm Home Discount
Scottish Power
Name of fund: Hardship Fund
Maximum payment: Varies depending on need and funds available
Criteria to apply:
- In receipt of: income support, jobseeker's allowance, pension credit, or employment and support allowance
Shell Energy
Name of fund: Support Fund
Maximum payment: No set limit – depends on your circumstances
Criteria to apply:
- No specific eligibility criteria
Utility Warehouse
Name of fund: Customer Support Scheme (run in conjunction with Citizens Advice)
Maximum payment: Supplier wouldn't confirm
Criteria to apply:
- In fuel poverty, or about to go into energy debt or run out of prepay credit
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