British Gas has reopened its Energy Support Fund, offering households in England, Scotland, and Wales up to £2,000 support with their energy bills. The fund is available for existing British Gas customers who are in energy debt or at risk of fuel poverty during the winter. It’s open to households who have an energy debt of between £50 and £2,000 on a pre-payment meter, or £250 to £2,000 on a credit account.
To be eligible, you’ll also need to have received assistance from a money advice agency in the last six months, or used the online budgeting tool available in your application. If you meet the criteria, you can apply on the British Gas Energy Trust website.
Last year, the Energy Support Fund helped nearly 6,000 households across England, Scotland, and Wales. If you’re not a British Gas customer, you may be eligible for help through its Individuals and Families Fund instead, reports the Mirror.
This offers help for those struggling with energy debt up to £1,700 on a prepayment or credit account. Chris O’Shea, chief executive of Centrica, which owns British Gas, said: “As winter approaches, we know that rising household bills are a real worry for many people across the UK.
“We want our customers to know that we’re here to support them. Tackling energy debt and fuel poverty is a priority for us and we’re making sure help is available when it’s needed most.
“We’ve committed £140 million, the UK’s largest voluntary energy support package, to help make sure no one is facing these challenges alone. This winter, we’ll continue to support the Trust, whose work brings real, lasting impact to people’s lives.
“We urge anyone who is worried about keeping their home warm this winter to apply to the fund or visit an advice centre and access the support available.”
This follows another surge in energy bills last week. Ofgem’s energy price cap will climb from £1,720 annually to £1,755 per year from October 1.
These amounts reflect what a standard dual-fuel household paying by direct debit can anticipate spending on energy. There isn’t actually a limit on what you can pay for energy.
Your bill is still worked out based on how much gas and electricity you use. Ofgem’s price cap limits what you can be charged for units of gas and electricity, plus standing charges, which are fixed daily costs you pay to be connected to the energy network.
This will stay in place until December 31, when the price cap will be reviewed again.
