MANY households may be feeling anxious about their energy bills this winter – but there is help out there for those who are struggling.
Ofgem’s latest price cap for bills came into force at the beginning of the month, with bills rising for the average household.
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This means that the typical gas and electricity bill will rise over winter by £94 on average – though the exact amount can vary depending on how much you use.
The rise in the price cap will be a sting to households battling the cost of living, particularly during the colder months.
For homeowners in this position, there is help out there and several energy suppliers offer free bill credit to assist those who are struggling.
We’ve rounded up the companies who are offering free credit to hard-up customers and how you can claim it.
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British Gas – £250
Thousands of British Gas customers can get up to £250 in free credit.
The support is only available to customers who pay for their energy bills through a prepayment meter.
It is a discretionary payment of credit up to £250 for those struggling with energy costs.
That means it’s up to British Gas to decide who gets the help, and not everyone on a prepayment meter will be eligible.
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The credit will be added to eligible customers’ prepayment meters over the next month British Gas said.
Customers don’t need to contact the company to apply for the help.
Those who are eligible and need it will be identified and provided with this support.
It comes as part of a £10million package for vulnerable prepayment customers.
EDF – £30
EDF is giving thousands of customers an extra £30 to help them this winter.
The energy giant is boosting the £150 warm home discount payment to £180 for all 260,000 customers who get the help.
The cash will be automatically added as credit to eligible energy accounts.
It will reduce standing charges for those eligible from 87p per day to 56p per day on average for the period of January to March 2024.
A standing charge is added to most gas and electricity bills to cover the cost of supplying your home with energy.
It’s a fixed daily amount that is unaffected by how much energy you actually use.
The warm home discount is available to those on the lowest incomes to help with rising costs.
You can find more details of the scheme on the Shell Energy website.
Utilita – £150
Utilita began paying out its Warm Home Discount in December to eligible customers.
It split the discount into two payments of £75 for its pay as you go customers.
Payments began in December and they will all be completed by the end of February this year.
Customers who pay for their energy using traditional prepayment meters will be emailed the vouchers.
Those with smart prepayment meters will get the £75 credited directly to their meters.
It’s also good news for people who pay by direct debit because Utilita will be applying the full £150 to customers’ accounts.
OVO – £15
Ovo has increased its temporary credit from £5 to £15.
This means that when you’re running low you can now get £10 extra to top up your prepayment meter.
It comes as part of OVO’s £40million Customer Support Package.
The package opened in October last year and will provide customers with financial support through the colder months.
Scottish Power – £10
Households can usually get what’s known as “emergency credit” if they have no money left on their meter.
But the credit has to be paid back eventually.
Scottish Power offers an emergency credit option for prepayment meter customers.
Its meters have £10 emergency credit built in to allow customers to keep their energy supply on until they can top up.
But once this credit runs out, the supply may be temporarily disconnected until the meter is topped up again.
Octopus – up to £20
Octopus Energy also offers £10 emergency credit on both smart gas and electricity meters.
If you have a smart prepayment meter, the emergency credit can be activated on the home display.
Meanwhile, those with traditional prepayment meters can get £10 on their electricity meters and £20 on their gas meters.
The emergency credit will then be taken off the balance the next time the customer goes to top up.
Fuel vouchers – worth £50
If you’re on a prepayment meter you might be able to get a one-off voucher to top up.
The fuel voucher scheme comes via the Fuel Bank Foundation charity, and it’s offered through a range of organisations, like food banks and Citizens Advice.
The best place to start to find somewhere which can offer you a fuel voucher is by asking your local council – you can find yours via gov.uk by searching your postcode.
The voucher should help you cover around two weeks’ worth of electricity use.
Some energy companies may also issue their own vouchers, so ask your supplier directly.
What is the Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount is an automatic £150 discount off energy bills, and payments began this month.
As it is a discount, no money is paid to you.
You’ll need to be a recipient of one or more of the following benefits to qualify:
If you weren’t claiming any of the above benefits on August 13, 2022, you won’t be eligible for the payment.
When someone claims a qualifying benefit, the government will assess their energy costs based on the type, age and size of the property.
You may not be considered eligible for the Warm Home Discount if you live in a more energy-efficient property for instance, even if you receive a qualifying benefit.
This rule doesn’t apply to recipients of the guarantee credit portion of Pension Credit.
But you can challenge it by getting in touch with the Warm Home Discount helpline on 0800 030 9322.
How do I apply for the discount?
People living in England and Wales don’t need to apply for the Warm Home Discount.
You get the payment automatically if your electricity supplier is part of the scheme and you qualify.
Though energy regulator Ofgem says some people may be asked to contact a Government helpline to confirm their eligibility.
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The money won’t be paid to you directly – it’ll be added as credit to your electricity account. This usually happens between October and April.
Visit the Government website for more information.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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