How to get hundreds of pounds towards energy bills as gas crisis means costs will soar for households

HOUSEHOLDS face a winter of uncertainty as energy prices rocket and firms are even going bust as a result.

Those whose supplier has collapsed may be concerned about facing a new hiked tariff, while loyal customers face their own similar daunting costs.

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But there are some ways you can take back some control over the financial strain of looming energy bills.

There are plenty of means to get money-off your payments, so long as you are eligible.

This can help alleviate the stress of forking out amid the crisis, especially as bills are set to rise by £139 a year, from £1,138 to £1,277 in just over a week’s time.

There’s no certainty that prices won’t rise further either, as the government hasn’t ruled out raising the price cap beyond this too.

But there are a variety of measures in place to help people with their bills during winter and the colder months.

One is the winter fuel payment scheme, where over 65s can get between £100 and £300 to offset the cost of keeping their homes warm.

Plus other schemes and methods available too, and we’ve rounded them up below.

Talk to your supplier

In the first instance, if you find yourself worried about paying for your bills, ring up your gas and electric supplier, or suppliers if you have two different companies, and ask for advice.

It’s better to do this before you run out of money or your bills start stacking up as failed payments from a direct debit account could affect your credit score.

If you take the time to have a chat, they might be able to help you out with money from their own scheme, if they run one.

There are some suppliers that have charitable trusts that help you pay off any arrears you might have.

British Gas Energy Trust, for example, runs a scheme where anyone can apply for a grant, and you don’t even have to be a customer.

Other firms that offer grants just to their customers include:

You’ll need to get some debt advice before you apply for a grant as that will make your application more likely to be successful.

Charities such as Citizens Advice will be able to help you with this.

If you’re having difficulties filling in the application, Charisgrants.com can help guide you through it.

Winter fuel payments

You could get up to £300 off your fuel payments during the coldest months of the year with the annual tax-free benefit that’s available.

Eligible pensioners can receive annual one-off winter fuel payments from the government of between £100 and £300.

You’re eligible for the money if you were born on or before October 5, 1954 or you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 21 to 27, 2020 – called the “qualifying week”.

The winter fuel payments are made automatically for most people, usually in November or December, and you’ll be sent a letter telling you how much you’ll get and when exactly you can expect it.

The deadline to apply for this year has already passed as it was set for March 31, but you can apply for next years so long as you do so by March 31 2022.

Cold weather payments

Low income households can get £25 a week to help with energy bills during the winter thanks to the cold weather payment scheme too.

You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is zero degrees celsius or below over the space of a week.

You must receive pension credit, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, or Universal Credit to be eligible.

Payments should automatically be made into your bank or building society account within 14 days of the cold spell being over, so you don’t need to apply.

You’ll be able to check if your area is due a payment when next year’s scheme starts on November 1 this year so we’ll have more details on the scheme then and you’ll be able to check if your postcode qualifies.

Warm home discount scheme

The warm home discount scheme means you can a £140 payment that goes toward your heating costs.

It’s not paid to you, instead it’s a one-off discount on your bill for the period between September and March.

Anyone on a low income struggling with electricity costs can apply for the help now, with at least six different providers having already opened applications this year.

If you receive the guarantee credit element of pension credit, then you are in the “core group” that is eligible for the scheme, so long as your supplier provides it.

You’ll receive a letter between October and December telling you how to get the discount if you qualify.

But if you don’t meet the “core group” criteria, you may still be eligible for this benefit and can use the suppliers’ open applications to claim.

You’ll be eligible if you are on a low income or certain means-tested benefits for this too.

Budgeting loans

You could be eligible for a budgeting loan if you’ve been on certain benefits for six months.

But while this can help cover some costs like if your boiler breaks down and you need to replace it, or you need to buy new energy appliances, like a washing machine or tumble dryer, you will need to pay the money back.

To get a budgeting loan you must have been on income support, Income-based jobseeker’s allowance, or pension credit for the past six months.

But you can’t get a budgeting loan if you are currently claiming Universal Credit. Instead, you should apply for a budgeting advance.

You also can’t get one is you owe more than £1,500 in total for crisis loans and budgeting loans already.

You have to pay back the amount you borrow and repayments are taken automatically from your benefits over 12 months.

You can work out how much will be deducted from your payment every month by dividing the full cost of the loan by 12.

Budgeting loans can help pay for a variety of things, including furniture or household items, rent in advance and funeral costs.

But they can also be used for maintenance, improvements or security for your home.

This means that intermittent expenses, such as the cost of installing a prepayment meter or connection charges if you move home, can help be covered.

The lowest amount you can borrow is £100 but you could get up to £812 if you or your partner claim child benefit.

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk