WINTER is coming, and while millions have seen their energy bills drop, these freebies will help to lower costs even further.
Bills have fallen by £151 a year since the new energy price cap came into force on Sunday.
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But most households will still feel poorer as the support the Government offered last winter is not returning this time.
Bill payers might not know that they could qualify for a number of energy-saving freebies – and it could cut their costs by hundreds of pounds a year.
From electric blankets to solar panels, we explain who is eligible, and how to apply, for the handy money-saving measures.
Energy grants
Most energy suppliers have a discretionary grant scheme to help support their most vulnerable customers.
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Grants vary by supplier and, of course, the exact amount you’ll get will depend on your own financial circumstances.
The British Gas Energy Support Fund provides grants to customers who are struggling to pay their bills.
Any British Gas or Scottish Gas energy customer who is struggling to pay their energy bill and has sought money and energy advice is eligible to apply for the support.
Successful applicants could get a grant worth up to £1,500 to help with debts.
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However, another fund offered by the same firm can help support customers at other suppliers.
The British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund also offer grants worth up to £1,500.
You do not need to be a British Gas customer to apply for this fund – you can be a British Gas customer or a customer from another supplier.
EDF, Eon, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power also offer cash grants of their own too.
Free electric blankets and smart tech
Octopus Energy has continued dishing out free electric blankets to help customers keep warm while bills stay high.
Blankets are usually only available to people who benefit from them most.
This is likely to include elderly people, or those with specific medical conditions which make them immobile, very unwell, or feel cold.
Contact Octopus to find out if you’re eligible.
Ovo Energy customers who sign up for the company’s Power Move scheme can get two free smart plugs that let you remotely control whatever’s plugged into them.
The scheme pays eligible customers £10 a month if they reduce their energy consumption during peak times.
Those taking part in its Power Move scheme will need to cut their usage between the peak hours of 4pm-7pm to less than 12.5%.
That’s the equivalent of moving four loads of washing each week from on-peak to off-peak hours.
Or three dishwasher loads to later on in the evening.
Free boiler
You could get a brand new boiler installed free of charge from your energy company if you are on a low income, or considered a vulnerable customer.
Some suppliers are offering the freebie, and the eligibility criteria may vary.
British Gas, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, and Ovo Energy all offer versions of this support.
However not many providers let you apply online, so you need to call directly to get started.
There are other ways to get help towards getting a new boiler – but it might not cover all the costs.
Right now, you can get a £5,000 grant under the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, but this figure will be boosted to £7,500 in the coming months.
You don’t apply for the scheme yourself.
Instead, you will need to find an MSC-certified installer to claim the grant on your behalf.
MSC is the certification scheme for energy efficiency product installers and you can find the nearest ones to you on the MSC website.
Free solar panels
Some councils give low-income households money to put towards making their home greener.
If you meet the right eligibility criteria you will be able to have your home fitted with measures that could save hundreds on your energy bills, all free of charge.
Some councils offer households grants to install solar panels, which can cost around £6,000.
The Sun spoke to pensioner Gareth Hodgson, who applied for tens of thousands of pounds of free home improvements that have nearly halved his bills.
The help you can get from your local council varies depending on a number of factors including your personal circumstances.
In most areas, homeowners must have a total income of less than £30,000 to get the help.
Your home must have an EPC rating of D, E, F or G for you to be eligible too.
Check to see what your local council has on offer.
Free energy-efficient showerhead
It’s not just energy suppliers giving out freebies to help with your energy bills.
Water companies are giving out free water – and energy-saving gadgets like regulated shower heads worth £20.
The Energy Saving Trust says switching to a water-efficient shower head reduces hot water usage and could save a family of four on a water meter a total of £195 on their water and energy bills.
This is because less energy is needed to pump, heat and treat the water
But this will vary depending on your supplier and your usage.
You will need to visit the Save Money Save Water website where you will then need to fill in a short survey about your water usage.
It will ask questions such how many people live in your home, how many showers you take a week as a household and if you water your garden.
After filling out the survey, you will be redirected to your water supplier’s website to claim the freebie.
Whether you can get the shower head for free depends on where you live as not all water companies offer them.
Anglian, Essex & Suffolk, Northumbrian or Thames Water aren’t part of Save Water Save Money’s promotion, but you can sometimes get the freebies if you go directly to their websites.
Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund is worth £842million and has been shared between councils in England.
They are then deciding how to distribute their share of the fund, which means what you can get varies depending on where you live.
In most cases, support is offered to those on low incomes or benefits.
Either way, you will need to apply through your local council, which you can find by using the Government’s council locator tool.
Some households have received vouchers to help pay for energy bills while other local authorities have transferred money directly into residents’ bank accounts.
The latest batch of funding has to be allocated by councils by March 31, 2024.
Winter fuel payment
Thousands of pensioners eligible for the winter fuel payment will receive £300 top-up from the Government this year.
The winter fuel payment is made to households with someone born before a certain date.
This year, it is being made to every household with someone born before September 25, 1957.
But on top of the regular payment, the Government is topping it up with a £150 or £300 pensioner cost of living payment, meaning you could receive up to £600 in total.
In most cases, you won’t have to apply and the payment will be made automatically from November.
Cold weather payment
Cold weather payments are made to hard-up households to help cover the cost of higher energy bills during cold snaps.
Eligible households receive £25 for every seven-day period where temperatures are below zero degrees.
The money is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions.
The scheme runs between November 1 and March 31 but you don’t have to apply and will receive the payments automatically if you are eligible.
To qualify for a winter fuel payment you must be receiving one of the following benefits:
But you may have to meet other criteria too, including:
- Having a disability or be in receipt of pension premium
- Having a child who is disabled
- Receiving child tax credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
- Having a severe or enhanced disability premium
- Being in receipt of a limited capability for work amount
- Having a child under five living with you
You can read more about eligibility on the Government’s website.
Child winter heating payment
The child winter heating payment, formerly known as child winter heating assistance, will be paid to thousands of families from November.
The cash, worth £235.70, is issued to households to cover the cost of higher energy bills during the colder months.
But the benefit is only available to households in Scotland, with around 26,000 payments made in 2022/23.
You also have to be 18 or under and in receipt of one the following benefits:
- the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment
- the highest rate of the care component of 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
You need to have been claiming one of the four above benefits between September 18 and September 24, although you can backdate claims.
Anyone eligible can apply by filling in a paper form found on the Scottish Government’s website.
Winter heating payment
The winter heating payment has replaced the cold weather payment for households in Scotland.
The eligibility for the £55.05 payment is the same as the cold weather payment and you have to be receiving one of the qualifying benefits between November 6 and 12.
The only difference is that the cash is paid to you regardless of whether temperatures drop below zero degrees.
Payments will likely be made in February and March 2024.
Warm home discount
Millions of households in England, Wales and Scotland can get £150 deducted off their energy bills through the warm home discount.
This winter the money will be taken off your bill between late October and March 2024.
You’ll need to receive one or more of the following benefits to qualify:
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Eligible households in England and Wales don’t have to apply for the discount, although some in Scotland do.
Scottish residents should check with their energy supplier directly to see if they qualify for the discount.
This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
