MOST suppliers have closed their warm home discount schemes, but you can still get help worth around £1,025 to cut your energy bills.
If you’ve missed the deadline to get £140 off your heating bill, you could still be able to access support.
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Soaring energy costs mean more Brits are looking for ways to reduce their consumption this year.
The warm home discount is a one-off annual payment of £140 to help struggling families pay for gas and electricity.
Some people are automatically eligible for the discount, but others have to apply to their energy firm.
Most companies including British Gas, EDF, Octopus and SSE have already stopped applications as funding has run out.
First of all, you should double check with your supplier whether you’ve missed the deadline as a handful, including Bulb and E.On at the time of writing, are still open.
If your supplier is still accepting claims you should get an application in as soon as possible as they’re likely to close within days.
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But if it’s not, we explain the other ways to knock up to £1,025 off your energy bills.
Household support fund – £250
Councils are handing out grants to hard-up families as part of the £500million household support fund.
It’s designed to help people who need help paying for essentials such as food and bills.
The amount you’ll get will vary depending on where in the country you live, as each local authority has set their own eligibility criteria.
For example, residents of Wealden in East Sussex can get a one-off payment of £250 to pay off energy and water bill debts.
People living in Runnymede, Surrey, can apply for £150 to help with energy costs and Rutland Council is handing out £100 payments.
To find out what you can get in your area, search for your local council on the gov.uk website and contact the council for the latest information.
Cold weather payment – £25
People on certain benefits such as pension credit could be eligible for a cold weather payment when the temperatures drop.
If you’re eligible, you’ll get a £25 payment for each seven-day period where the weather is below 0C on average.
You won’t need to apply for the money, it will be paid automatically if you meet the criteria.
You can check if your area has had a cold weather payment by popping your postcode into the government’s tool.
Ask your energy firm – £750
If you’re struggling with paying your energy bills, the first thing you should do is contact your energy supplier.
They might be able to help you by giving you more time to pay or changing up your instalments, for example.
Some suppliers also have dedicated funds to help customers who are struggling with arrears.
For example, British Gas has a winter fund to help its customers this year, with a maximum grant of £750 to write off debt.
Contact your energy supplier to see if they have a similar scheme and for information on how to apply.
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