Little-known scheme to get up to £200 free fuel voucher to help pay energy bills – how to apply

A LITTLE-KNOWN scheme could help you get up to £200 in free fuel vouchers to help with energy bills.

Those with a prepayment meter who are struggling to top up may be able to apply for support.

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A little-known scheme can offer support to those struggling with energy costs[/caption]

More than four million households are on prepayment meters.

This means they pay in advance for the energy they use, rather than being billed later on.

With pay-as-you-go, you top up gas and electric using a key, card or app.

Those on prepayment meters are often among the lowest income households.

The Fuel Bank Foundation provides emergency fuel vouchers to households with a prepayment meter that are at risk of or have already run out of credit.

It is offered through a range of organisations, like food banks and Citizens Advice.

The vouchers are worth £49 in the winter and £30 in the summer months – but can be issued in multiples.

One householder posted to Facebook group Cost Of Living UK – payments, benefits, bills, money saving after being approved for four £49 vouchers to help with costs.

The householder had applied for vouchers through Redress Vouchers.

Who is eligible?

The vouchers are available for those with prepayment meters as long as one of the following conditions apply:

• Receive a means-tested benefit
• Receive a health-related benefit
• Have a health condition made worse by the cold
• Be in debt
• Have a budgeting shortfall 

The means tested benefits that grant eligibility are:

• Universal Credit
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Pension Credit
• Tax Credits (Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit)
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Support
• Social Fund (Sure Start Maternity Grant, Funeral Payment, Cold Weather Payment)

The vouchers issued by Redress can only be used with prepayment or pay-as-you-go meters, unless you live in Bristol or Wiltshire.

If you live in Bristol or Wiltshire vouchers could be issued to those who pay by direct debit or use alternative fuels.

How much could I receive?

Vouchers issued by Redress are worth £49 each.

Each household can apply for up to four vouchers for a family, and up to three vouchers for a single adult.

The vouchers are a grant and you wont be required to pay money back.

How to apply

You can apply for support through the Redress Vouchers website.

To apply you will need to supply a bank statement and photograph of your pre-payment meter.

Redress Vouchers says it can take up to a month to process requests.

Redress Vouchers is not the only body distributing funding and your local council should be able to help with local organisations.

You can find your local council’s contact details via gov.uk by searching your postcode.

If you’re still not sure if you can get a voucher, you can get help from organisations such as Citizens Advice.

Vouchers are issued in the form of a code to a mobile phone.

But if you don’t have a mobile phone, it can be sent via an email or through the post.

The code can then be taken to the outlet where you normally top up your prepayment meter – usually a local shop or the Post Office.

It can only be used to top up a gas or electricity meter and it can’t be used to buy anything else.

The Fuel Bank Foundation has also introduced a repeat fuel voucher scheme, in which households who had previously applied for and received an emergency fuel voucher were automatically issued another without having to reapply.

More than 48,000 repeat fuel vouchers have been sent out to eligible households so far.

If you get a fuel voucher, don’t forget that when you top up, some of the credit will go towards paying off any debt, for example emergency credit.

If you haven’t topped up for a period of time, you may also owe standing charges, a daily flat fee for energy use that is separate to your usage.

What other energy bill help is available?

Energy suppliers also offer support for those who are struggling to pay their bills.

Those on Universal Credit and older legacy benefits are also entitled to cost of living payments worth up to £1,350.

There are plenty of energy grants and schemes open to help you out if you’re struggling.

Ask your supplier what’s on offer and how to apply, or check here:

• British Gas Energy Trust
• Bulb energy fund
• EDF’s energy customer support fund
• E.on’s energy fund
• Npower’s energy fund
• Ovo’s debt and energy assistance
• Scottish Power’s hardship fund

There’s a one-off fuel voucher from your energy supplier if you’re on a prepayment meter.

Councils are also dishing out hundreds of pounds to hard-up families through the Household Support Fund.

If you’re in debt there are plenty of services you can take advantage of and they offer free and friendly advice on how to manage debt.

Most of them can offer you free guidance and help in person, over the telephone or online.

• Money Advice Service – 0800 138 7777
• Citizens Advice – 0808 800 9060
• StepChange – 0800 138 1111
• National Debtline – 0808 808 4000

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

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