THOUSANDS of hard-up households can claim energy bill help worth up to £100 – but they will need to act fast to claim the support.
Those struggling to keep up with bills can get financial help from their local council.
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The support comes through the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF), which is available from local authorities across England.
The pot of cash has been shared between councils who decide how to distribute their share of the fund among residents.
That means what you can get depends on where you live but, in most cases, help is offered to households on benefits or a low income.
It was due to end on March 31, but the support was extended for another six months in the Spring Budget.
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As part of the announcement, The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said that he would be adding a further £500million to the pot.
As part of the HSF, families in Leicestershire can get fuel vouchers worth £98 from their local council.
Meanwhile, single-person households can get help worth £56.
Ofgem’s energy price cap will fall from the current rate of £1,928 to £1,690 from April 1 – a drop of £238.
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Despite the fall, National Energy Action (NEA) says that despite the drop households are still paying around £400 more than they were in October 2021.
This means that many households will still be looking for help to keep on top of their bills.
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You’ll usually need to prove that you’re on a low income or receiving certain benefits.
Below is a list of eligibility criteria for the Leicestershire HSF:
- You must be a resident of Leicestershire and over 16 years old
- You must be experiencing financial hardship, which means that you are struggling to feed your family, to heat your home, or with other household/utility costs etc.
- Submit a form of photo ID e.g. driving licence, passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate.
- Submit proof of address e.g. benefits letter, bank statement, utility bill, Council Tax bill.
Applicants only have until March 27 to apply, but it’s best to get in quick as the funding is limited and once it’s gone it’s gone.
How do I calculate my energy bill?
BELOW we reveal how you can calculate your own energy bill.
To calculate how much you pay for your energy bill, you must find out your unit rate for gas and electricity and the standing charge for each fuel type.
The unit rate will usually be shown on your bill in p/kWh.The standing charge is a daily charge that is paid 365 days of the year – irrespective of whether or not you use any gas or electricity.
You will then need to note down your own annual energy usage from a previous bill.
Once you have these details, you can work out your gas and electricity costs separately.
Multiply your usage in kWh by the unit rate cost in p/kWh for the corresponding fuel type – this will give you your usage costs.
You’ll then need to multiply each standing charge by 365 and add this figure to the totals for your usage – this will then give you your annual costs.
Divide this figure by 12, and you’ll be able to determine how much you should expect to pay each month from April 1.
How much could you get?
The exact amount of money available to you through the HSF scheme will depend on your council’s criteria.
For example, Birmingham City Council, the country’s largest local authority, has provided cash grants of up to £200 through the HSF in the past.
Households living in North Yorkshire have been able to secure supermarket vouchers worth up to £450 as part of the fourth instalment of the scheme.
Those living in West Northamptonshire earning less than £450 per week could also apply for cash grants worth up to £300.
How to apply
To get the help, you’ll need to check with your council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
To find your local council, visit https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council.
Once you’ve found your council, there should be information on how to apply for funding on its website.
Each council will have a different application process – so exact details on how to apply will vary depending on where you live.
That means that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary – it’s best to check with your local council for more details.
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Some councils won’t require you to apply for the help and they’ll contact you about it instead if you qualify.
If there’s no information on your council’s website, then it’s best to ring them up and ask for more information.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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