All the help you can get with your energy bills worth thousands as costs set to rise in WEEKS
ENERGY bills are set to rise again next month.
On average, gas and electricity costs will increase by £149 when Ofgem’s new price cap comes into force.
But more than ten million elderly folk will miss out on up to £300 towards the costs after the Winter Fuel Payment was limited to just those on Pension Credit.
James Flanders explains how you can get help towards your energy bills in the colder months . . .
GET PENSION CREDIT TO CLAIM WINTER FUEL PAYMENT
THE £300 Winter Fuel Payment was previously available to everyone aged 66 and above and helped with high energy costs.
Earlier this year Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced it will be limited to those who receive Pension Credit and a handful of other benefits.
More than 800,000 households are eligible for Pension Credit but aren’t claiming it.
It tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you are an eligible couple.
If your income is lower than this, you’re very likely to be eligible for the benefit.
But if your income is slightly higher, you might still be able to get it if you have a disability, care for someone, have savings or have housing costs.
Pension Credit can be worth more than £3,900 a year.
Check your eligibility by visiting gov.uk/pension-credit.
Customers over the state pension age and getting tax credits may also qualify.
Those who have a joint claim to Universal Credit where one member is over the state pension age will also be eligible.
Households that receive Pension Credit or tax credits will get their winter fuel payment automatically.
Those claiming Universal Credit as a couple will need to apply from September 16 at gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-to-claim.
Most winter fuel payments are issued between November and December.
APPLY FOR WARM HOME DISCOUNT
OVER three million low-income households on benefits will qualify for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter.
The money is credited to electricity accounts between October and March each year.
Those in England and Wales on a low income and receiving Pension Credit get it automatically but some Scottish households will need to apply.
You may be eligible if you receive benefits and have high bills.
Households in England and Wales will get a letter between October 2024 and early January 2025 telling you if they are eligible.
If you don’t get the letter by early January 2024 and you think you’re eligible, call 0800 030 9322.
CHECK FOR ENERGY GRANTS
MOST suppliers offer grants of up to £1,700 to help hard-up families pay off their energy debts.
These include British Gas, EDF, E.ON, Octopus, Ovo Energy and Scottish Power.
The British Gas Energy Trust Individual and Families Fund is open to everyone, not just the company’s customers.
To qualify, you need to have between £50 and £1,700 of energy debt with your supplier.
To check your eligibility and apply, visit bget.org.uk.
In June, British Gas also launched a £15million “You Pay: We Pay” initiative which sees it match 100 per cent of a customer’s energy debt repayments to help them clear their arrears faster.
TRY HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT FUND
MILLIONS of households will be able to apply for extra cost-of-living payments from October after the Government confirmed the extension of the Household Support Fund this week.
Each local authority gets a proportion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and number of vulnerable households.
Local councils can then set their eligibility requirements and distribute the funding how they please.
Support is usually provided to low-income households via supermarket vouchers or cash grants which can be used to help towards energy bills.
The amount you can claim varies, but some offer grants of up to £500.
To get the help, you need to check with your council, as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
To identify your local council, visit gov.uk/find-local-council.
COLD WEATHER PAYMENTS
COLD Weather Payments are issued to low-income households in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to cover the cost of extra heating during the chilliest weeks.
Payments are made between November 1 and March 31.
Eligible households are paid £25 for every seven-day period where temperatures are, or are forecast to be, below 0C on average.
You are eligible for a cold weather payment if you receive a number of means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit, and meet certain conditions.
To find out more see gov.uk/cold-weather-payment/eligibility.
FREE DEBT HELP
IF you are struggling to pay your bill, contact your supplier first.
If you cannot agree on a way to pay, get help from Citizens Advice by calling 0808 223 1133 or by visiting citizensadvice.org.uk.