Help Paying Higher Energy Bills (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
Many families experience increased, hidden costs when looking after a child with complex needs at home. These costs include more expensive heating and electricity bills. This guide lists different types of help available to families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The rise in energy prices affects families who have a child with complex needs more than most. Heating and electricity bills can be more expensive if someone in your household has limited mobility and requires medical equipment such as ventilators to support them at home. These cannot be avoided, and with the increasing cost of living, they have grown more than ever before.
This guide lists different types of help available to families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For information on help available to families in Scotland, see our Scotland Specific Help Paying Higher Energy Bills article.
Government Grants and Benefits for Energy Bills
This scheme is run by the Government and participating energy suppliers and provides households with a £150 discount on their electricity bill during winter. The Warm Home Discount is available to two groups of people; those in receipt of the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, and those who meet criteria set by their energy supplier.
Discounts are automatically deducted from your energy bill. You do not need to apply unless:
- you’re on a low income in Scotland. Contact your energy supplier to apply.
- you live in a Park (mobile) home. Apply through Charis Grants.
To check if you are eligible for the scheme click here.
The above discount applies in England, Wales and Scotland. If you live in Northern Ireland you may be entitled to the Affordable Warmth Scheme.
To make an application to the Affordable Warmth Scheme, customers can contact The NI Energy Advice Service (NIEAS) by:
Tel.: 0800 111 44 55 or Email: [email protected]
The Warm Home Discount Scheme has closed. It will reopen in October 2025.
A Cold Weather Payment is paid to households if the temperature drops to zero degrees or less for seven consecutive days.
Eligible households will receive £25 for every seven consecutive days the temperature drops this low between the 1st of November and the 31st of March annually.
Households must be on qualifying benefits to be eligible for the payment. Payments are received automatically.
For more information, visit the Government website here.
You may receive a Winter Fuel Payment if you were born on or before the 23 September 1958, and fulfil certain criteria. Check eligibility here.
You should receive a payment between £200 and £300 by 29 January 2025. For details on how much you will qualify for, visit the Government website here. This will be paid automatically to you and you should get a letter in October or November saying how much you will get.
If you do not get a letter but think you are eligible, have deferred your State Pension, or have moved abroad you may need to make a claim. Make a claim here. The deadline to make a claim for winter 2024/25 is 31 March 2025.
The Discretionary Assistance Fund provides 2 types of grant that you do not need to pay back:
- An Emergency Assistance Payment to help you pay for essential costs.
- An Individual Assistance Payment to help you or someone you care for live independently in their home.
Check eligibility, apply, and find out more.
Help Paying Water Bills
Water Sure Scheme (England and Wales)
WaterSure is a scheme which helps some people with their water bills. To apply for the scheme, you must:
- Need to use a lot of water for medical reasons
- Receive Welfare Benefits
- Be on a water meter or be waiting to have one installed
If you get help through the WaterSure scheme, your water bill will be capped. This means you will not pay any more than the average metered bill for the area your water company deals with. In some cases, your normal metered water bill could be less than your company’s WaterSure cap. If this applies to you, you will only be billed for the amount of water you use. You can ask your water company what their cap is if you want to check this before applying.
You can apply for WaterSure by filling out a form from your water company. You will need to supply evidence that you qualify, such as a copy of your awards notice for benefits and evidence of your medical condition from your doctor.
If you get your water from Welsh Water you’re covered by WaterSure Wales, which works in a similar way to the English scheme.
If you live in Northern Ireland and you are an older person; have a serious medical condition or disability or need extra help for any other reason, extra free services may be available to you or anyone in your household. You need to join the NI Water Customer care register.
To register, fill in the online registration form on NI Water Customer Care Register website.
Alternatively contact Waterline on 03457440088. Customers with hearing difficulties can use Typetalk through Waterline.
Help if you have Oxygen Concentrators at Home
You may be entitled to a rebate on your electricity bills if you have an oxygen concentrator installed in your home. The rebate covers the electricity used by the concentrator. When installed your supplier will tell you how you will receive your rebate and how they will monitor the amount of electricity your concentrator uses.
Visit the Air Liquide or the BOC to find out more. If you use a different supplier, contact them to ask about this.
Help Paying Energy Debt
With energy prices as high as they currently are, there is a danger that families will become unable to keep up with their bills and fall into debt. If you are worried about being able to afford energy this winter, ask for advice as soon as you can from organisations like Citizen’s Advice and National Debt Line.
It is also worth contacting your energy supplier to discuss payment plans and other options. Some organisations can help you speak to your supplier such as Scope’s Disability Energy Support.
Some energy suppliers have schemes to help their customers struggling to pay their bills. Each scheme will have different eligibility requirements. Check if your supplier has a scheme for customers facing energy debt by contacting them or checking their website.
- British Gas Energy Trust is open to anyone, not just British Gas customers.
- Scottish Power Hardship fund is open to Scottish Power customers who are either on certain benefits, have a low income, or have other circumstances e.g. reduced income due to illness.
- EON Next Energy Fund is open to Eon customers.
- EDF Energy Customer Support Fund is open to EDF customers.
- Octopus Energy Assist Fund is open to Octopus Energy, Affect Energy, Co-operative Energy, Ebico Living and London Power customers.
- Ovo Energy Hardship scheme is open to Ovo and Boost customers.
- Utilita Helping Hand Fund is open to Utilita customers.
- Together For Short Lives have a partnership with gas network company SGN for a free energy voucher. This is either a £99 energy voucher for your pre-payment meter or a £150 energy card to take off your energy bill. It is open to those caring for a seriously ill child in the South of England. Book a phone or online appointment with a TogetherForShortLives Energy Advisor to check eligibility and for the voucher to be processed.
The Fuel Bank Foundation
The Fuel Bank Foundation is a charity dedicated to helping people who are struggling to pay their energy bills. They provide emergency financial support and advice to people who pre-pay for fuel and have run out of credit.
Visit the Fuel Bank Foundation website for information and advice here.
Paying Energy Bills Using Your Benefits
If you are struggling, you may be able to pay your energy bills and any debt you may have, directly out of your benefit. This is also known as ‘Fuel Direct’, or ‘third party deductions’, and your energy supplier will be paid monthly. Benefits eligible for this include:
- Universal Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
For more information, you can visit the Government website here, and to apply contact your Jobcentre Plus, if you are in receipt of Pension Credit you must apply via your Pension Service.
Improving your Energy Efficiency
Scope’s Disability Energy Support (England & Wales only)
The charity Scope offers disabled people and their families free energy and water advice. Available for those living in England and Wales only. Support can be given via email or telephone covering a range of topics such as managing debt, energy efficiency, free fuel vouchers, speaking to your supplier, and understanding your energy bills.
Book your appointment today on Scope’s website here.
Leap Energy and Money-Saving Service
Leap offer a free service providing energy advice, support with energy switching and ways to make your home more energy efficient such as installing home insulation. They may refer you for debt advice or benefits if needed.
Direct applications for this service have closed. To receive support, you must be referred by your local food bank, Citizens Advice Bureau, health clinic, or housing officer.
Find out more about Leap here.
Energy Saving Tips
Using extra energy to care for your child with complex needs at home is unavoidable. However, there are some small changes that you can make to other parts of your home life that can help you save a bit on your bills.
There are lots of energy-saving guides available to help you do this, from organisations like the Energy Saving Trust.
Read our Energy Saving Tips guide here for more information on ways to reduce your bills.
Other Useful Resources and Organisations
Turn2us Benefits and Grants Search
There may be local charities and other organisations who can help you with your energy bills this winter. Visit Turn2us and search for grants here.
According to Turn2us “Millions of people are missing out on thousands of pounds.” Use their Benefits Calculator to see if you are receiving everything you are entitled to or use their website to find your local Benefits Advisor who can do a benefits check for you.
Use their Benefits Calculator here.
Find a Benefits Advisor here.
If you need extra financial support for equipment, therapies or respite check out our Grants for Families article here.
Citizen’s Advice England & Wales
Citizen’s Advice provides useful information about energy bills and have a consumer hotline where you can get support contacting your energy supplier. Head to their website for more information and support.
Priority Services Register
The Priority Services Register will allow your house to receive priority support in the unlikely event of power cuts occurring this winter. To receive support, you must contact your energy supplier and ask to be added to this register. If, for medical reasons, you are dependent on a consistent supply of energy, you can ask your supplier to give your network operator your details.
The charity Scope has an informative page about the Priority Services Register here.
If you need support registering Scope’s Disability Energy Support team can, contact them here.
In the event of a power cut to your home, call 105 to be connected to your local network operator’s emergency helpline.
The information in this article was correct at the time of publishing but may be subject to change
If you have any comments, ideas, or suggestions about this article please contact us at [email protected]
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Rachel Carluke, Family Information Officer
First published: October 2022
Last Reviewed: April 2025
Next review due: November 2025
