THOUSANDS of households are in line to get EXTRA fuel vouchers that will help with the spiralling cost of energy.
It comes as people across the country struggle to cough up the funds to pay of the bills stacking up on the front doorstep.
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Last month energy bills soared by 54%, bringing the average annual price a household has to fork out for, to £1,971.
It’s because the price cap went up on April 1, adding almost £700 on average to about 18 million households’ standard tariff bills across the UK.
Bill-payers aren’t in the clear yet, as a further increase to the cap could make it rise to £2,800 later in the year too, adding ANOTHER £800 to bills.
But it’s people with prepayment meters who are the most susceptible to the rising costs and increased standing charges.
That’s why one local authority has stepped in to offer added support in the form of fuel vouchers for all those eligible.
The vouchers will go towards people with pre-payment meters, as it’s estimated that nearly 120,000 people will be in the running.
There’s around 49,000 vouchers up for grabs though, that will range from £30 in summer months to £49 in winter.
Any household that can claim will get these in three installments over the space of six months.
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The only catch, is it’s a scheme being rolled out in Wales.
The Welsh Government has launched a £4million fuel voucher scheme to help its most hard-up.
Figures suggest people on pre-payment meters in the north of Wales have been the hardest hit in the UK by rising standing charges, reports ITV News.
Their costs alone have supposedly rocketed by 102%.
It does mean only residents living in the qualifying area across the border will be able to get this bout of support though.
But that’s not to say there’s isn’t help for anyone living this side of the Severn Crossing.
What help can I get elsewhere?
For anyone living elsewhere in the UK the Household Support Fund has been helping make ends meet.
The scheme launched in October last year to help Brits pay their way through winter amid a cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It’s since been updated twice with new bouts of £500million allocated to periods of the year.
Councils can dish out the cash however they like and each one will offer up something different.
Eligibility rules can vary too, so it’s best to check in with your own local authority, to find out what may be up for grabs as well as how you can apply.
Reading Council, for example, is giving its own pensioners energy vouchers worth £98, as well as families in the area a sum of £49 to help cover similar costs.
Meanwhile the town of Knowsley has graciously topped up its funding from the government to offer residents £200 in total to spend on energy costs.
That’s not the only help on the table though.
You might be able to get money directly from your energy supplier is you ask.
British Gas has earmarked a total of £6 billion to help customers with its own hardship grant, for example.
If they have less than £1,000 in savings and have an outstanding debt of between £250 to £750 on an open gas or electricity or duel fuel account, they could be entitled to the help.
But British Gas is not the only energy firm offering this, so it’s always worth checking in with your own supplier.
Households can also get help with the Winter Fuel Payment, which gives people over 65 between £100 and £300 towards the cost of keeping their homes warm during the colder months.
And older people on pension credit or other benefits may be eligible for a £150 payment towards heating costs under the warm home discount scheme, later in the year, too.
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