All the power invoice assist accessible this winter

Customers struggling to afford their energy bills can get help from gas and electricity firms including grants, free boilers and free standing charges.

The average home will pay energy bills of £1,714 a year from 1 October, when Ofgem resets its energy price cap, but some households can get help with these high costs.

All suppliers have to give some support for certain customers, such as the elderly, vulnerable and those in fuel poverty, under Government rules.

The first step for someone struggling with energy bills is to speak to their energy firm.

These firms have to try to set up an affordable payment plan under Ofgem rules, or review one already in place.

Energy firms can also offer help such as payment holidays and a review of any debt repayments.

They can also go further, with measures such as grants, replacement of old white goods and free help to make homes warmer.

However, many of the details of this energy firm help are tricky to track down, and they many have rigid criteria for who can apply. 

All energy firms offer slightly different support schemes, and most are only open during the coldest winter months, when demand for heating is highest.

Here is a comprehensive breakdown of all the extra financial help available according to which energy company you are with, as well as details of firms planning to bring in this support in time for the winter.

Help from individual energy firms

British Gas

British Gas has two support funds, run by the British Gas Energy Trust.

The British Gas Energy Support Fund is only open to customers of British Gas, and has not yet re-opened for this winter.

The British Gas Individual and Families Fund is open to customers of any energy firm, including British Gas. However, it is not open to customers of Eon, Eon Next, Ovo, EDF, Scottish Power, Boost or Octopus, as these have their own support schemes.

The Individual and Families Fund is currently open, but only for households with credit and prepayment meters.

To be successful, you must:

• Be in England, Scotland or Wales
• Not have had a British Gas grant in the past 12 months
• Want the money to clear outstanding energy debt of between £250 and £1,500 for you or your household
• Be in, or face, fuel poverty, defined as spending at least 10 per cent of your income on energy bills
• Have already had help from a money advice agency

To access these grants you will also have to show proof of income and spending, to meet the criteria about fuel poverty.

If you are a British Gas customer, you can get grants through the British Gas Energy Support Fund.

To access this money, you must:

• Not have had a British Gas grant in the past two years (in 2023 the limit was 12 months)
• Want the money to clear outstanding energy debt for your household
• Have a household income of less than £18,723, have someone living there getting disability benefits, Carers Allowance or has three or more children
• Have already had help from a money advice agency within the past six months
• Face fuel poverty
• Have total combined energy debt of £50 – £1,700 if you have a pre-payment meter customer or between £250 – £1,700 if you are a credit account customer
• You will also have to show proof of income and spending

You can apply for both grants on the British Gas Energy Trust website.

EDF Energy

Customers of EDF can access the firm’s Customer Support Fund, which can write off energy debt for vulnerable customers and supply energy-efficient white goods, as well as freeze daily standing charges.

To get access to this fund you must first get independent debt advice and then apply here.

EDF will require details of your household finances and why you consider yourself or your household to be vulnerable.

E.On Next

Last year E.On Next ran a Winter Affordability Support Scheme, which knocked up to 50 per cent off energy bills for customers with lower incomes or with medical requirements. 

However, this closed to new applicants in March 2024 and has not yet been reopened for the winter of 2024/25.

The E.On Next Energy Fund pays grants towards bills, as well as other help such as replacement of old inefficient white goods and the writing off of debt for customers that cannot afford to pay their bills.

Octopus Energy

Octopus customers can apply for grants of up to £500 and have their standing charges waived by contacting the Octo Assist fund.

The fund will also pay between £50 and £200 to pensioners who are losing their Winter Fuel Payment this winter.

Previously, Winter Fuel Payment was paid to all pensioners. But from this year it will only be paid to pensioners who also get a qualifying benefit such as Pension Credit, meaning around 10 million retirees will lose it.

You will need to carry out an online budget and share your financial details, including income and spending, to be able to apply to Octo Assist.

The energy company can also offer to send experts to your home to work out ways you might be able to cut your energy use, and therefore bills, as well as giving out free electric blankets to those in need.

Ovo Energy

Ovo has a £50million fund, the Extra Support Package, going live on 1 October 2024.

The fund can give energy bill reductions for all eligible customers as well as credit top-ups for those on prepayment meters.

It can also give payment holidays for those on pre-payment meters, as well as free energy upgrades such as a new boiler or insulation.

To be eligible, customers will need to show they really need the help, such as having lower incomes, getting means-tested benefits or having a disability or energy debt.

Customers of Ovo and Boost can check their eligibility here.

Ovo also ran hardship funds in 2022 and 2023 that offered grants to struggling customers too.

Scottish Power

Scottish Power has a hardship fund that can pay variable levels of grants to help with energy bills.

To be eligible, you must be claiming a benefit such as Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Pension Credit or Employment and Support Allowance.

Otherwise you may qualify by having a low household income or have special circumstances such as losing income due to illness.

From there, you must speak to a debt charity such as Step Change, who can then refer you on to Sigma Connected Support, that handle hardship fund payouts for Scottish Power.

You can see more details on the hardship fund here.