Help Paying Higher Energy Bills

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.

However, there is some support available for families:

Government Cost of Living Support Package

In response to extremely high energy prices and the rising cost of living, the Government announced a cost-of-living support package for households across the UK in 2022. The government has now announced that further Cost of Living Payments will be made between spring 2023 and spring 2024. These payments are:

• £301 for people on an eligible low-income benefit, to be paid during spring 2023
• £150 for people on an eligible disability benefit, to be paid during summer 2023
• £300 for people on an eligible low-income benefit, to be paid during autumn 2023
• £300 for pensioner households, to be paid during winter 2023 to 2024
• £299 for people on an eligible low-income benefit, to be paid in spring 2024

For further details including eligibility, how to apply, when households receive payments, or how to report a missing payment, please read our Government Cost of Living Support Package article.

The Government has said it has no plans to extend Cost of Living Payments beyond Spring 2024

Warm Home Discount

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 state pension and those who meet criteria set by their energy supplier.

You do not need to apply for the Warm Home Discount. Discounts are automatically deducted from your energy bill.

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]

Cold Weather Payment

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 1^st of November and the 31^st 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

If you live in Scotland, you cannot get Cold Weather Payments. You might get an annual payment of £55 under the Winter Heating Payment scheme instead. You’ll get this payment regardless of weather conditions in your area.

Winter Fuel Payment

You will receive a Winter Fuel Payment if you receive a State Pension or another qualifying social security benefit, and you were born on or before the 25 September 1956.

The payment you receive will be between £150 and £300 and includes the ‘Pensioner Cost of Living Payment’. This will be paid automatically to you. If you have deferred your State Pension or have moved abroad you may need to make a claim, make a claim here.

For details on eligibility and how much you will qualify for, visit the Government website here.

Child Winter Heating Assistance (Scotland only)

The Child Winter Heating Assistance benefit is a payment to support families with disabled children and young people with the increased cost of heating over winter. Every qualifying child under 19 years living in the household will automatically receive £235.70 for 2023/2024.

The child or young person must be under the age of 19 years and be in receipt of either of the following benefits:

• The highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment or Disability Living Allowance for Children
• The enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
• The enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment

Payment will be made into the same account your qualifying benefit goes into. For more information visit the mygov.scot website.

Home Heating Support Fund (Scotland only)

The Home Heating Support Fund can provide financial support to certain households to help pay energy bills and energy debt. Applicants must evidence they have received either energy or debt advice. You can make an application directly or be referred.

Visit Home Heating Direct to apply.

To be referred contact Advice Direct Scotland free on 0808 800 9060.

Water Sure Scheme

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.

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.

Here is a list of some schemes we know about:

• 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.

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.

Benefits and Grants

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.

Other Useful Organisations

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.

Citizens Advice Scotland

The Money Talk Team provide free money and debt advice to maximise your income. You can speak with your local advisor face-to-face, or chat online with a virtual assistant.

Visit their website to speak to the Money Talk Team here.

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]

Please don’t forget to leave feedback on this article by clicking the smiley face!