If you are struggling to pay your heating bills, there are schemes that could help.
The Energy Bill Support Scheme closed in March 2023. Every household should have received £400 off their electricity bill.
If you have a prepayment meter you might have received your discount as a voucher by text message, email or post. You need to use it within 3 months of receiving it. If your voucher has expired, contact your supplier and ask them to send you a new one. You must do this before 30 June 2023.
For further information about fuel vouchers, visit Citizens Advice .
In October 2022 the government introduced the Energy Price Guarantee (or the ‘energy price cap’) to limit the amount you pay for gas and electricity. This will end on 31 March 2024. The guarantee automatically applies to all types of energy tariffs.
The amount you’re charged depends on your tariff. If you’re not sure what tariff you’re on, check your energy bills or contact your energy supplier.
The Energy Price Guarantee will be reviewed on 1 July 2023. You can find more information about the energy price cap by visiting Ofgem.
The Winter Fuel Support Scheme is a one-off £200 cash payment and is available to all eligible households regardless of how they pay for fuel.
The scheme is open to households where one member is in receipt of:
The scheme is only available during certain periods of winter, and has now closed for the winter of 2022/23. You must usually have been claiming these benefits at any time during December and January, and be the person responsible for paying the energy bills for the property.
Your local council should write to you if you are eligible but you can also apply through your local council‘s website. Applications must usually be received the end of February 2023 and payment should be made by the end of March.
Payments are sometimes made in instalments, so if you receive part of the overall payment under the scheme, you do not need to do anything. You should receive the rest of the payment in due course.
If you’re on a low income and have high heating costs, or you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you should qualify for a one-off discount on your electricity bill. The discount should be applied to your energy bill automatically.
If you are eligible for the discount, you should receive a letter by early January 2024. If you do not get a letter and you think you’re eligible, you must contact the Warm Home Discount Scheme before 29 February 2024.
Check Gov.uk for more information and to find out which energy suppliers are part of the scheme. You can call the scheme’s helpline on 0800 030 9322 between 8am and 6pm on Monday to Friday.
If you live in a mobile home, you can still receive a Warm Homes discount. For information about how to apply for the Park Homes Warm Home Discount, click here.
You may qualify for Cold Weather Payments if you are on certain benefits, including:
The payments are made when temperatures drop below freezing for more than a week between the beginning of November and the end of March.
You receive £25 for every 7 days where the temperature averages below zero degrees Celsius.
Payments are made automatically so you don’t need to apply.
Find out if a cold weather payment is due for your area – check Gov.uk.
The Winter Fuel Payment is a grant of between £100 and £300 to help older people with winter energy bills. To qualify for the payment, you must have been born on or before 26 September 1955.
How much you get depends on your age, if you receive certain benefits and if you live alone or with others.
Check if you qualify – visit Gov.uk.
Contact the Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234 or e-mail [email protected] for more help and advice on paying your energy bills.
If you have problems with fuel bills or debt you can get help from specialist Shelter Cymru debt advisers or check out our cash in a crisis advice page.
You can also contact the Energy Saving Trust for advice on how to increase the energy efficiency of your home.
You can also find further information about grants and benefits to help you pay your energy bills on Citizens Advice consumer page.
We are sorry that we cannot provide this information in Welsh, however if you would like to speak to an adviser in Welsh please contact 08000 495 495.
Energy saving improvements
Switch energy supplier and tariff
If you have a housing problem, call our expert housing advice helpline
If you have a non-urgent problem and would like to speak to an adviser
email us
This page was last updated on: December 6, 2023
Shelter Cymru acknowledges the support of Shelter in allowing us to adapt their content. The information contained on this site is updated and maintained by Shelter Cymru and only gives general guidance on the law in Wales. It should not be regarded or relied upon as a complete or authoritative statement of the law.
 |
