Apply for help paying your energy bills
Energy bills are treated as priority debts because if you miss payments and fall into arrears you’re at risk of being cut off by your provider. Find out what to do if you can’t pay your bills.
If you’re on a low income and struggling to pay your energy bills while on a token payment plan, you may be able to get some financial assistance.
Depending on your situation, there are schemes available that could make your energy bills more manageable. They include:
- Cold Weather Payment
- Winter Fuel Payment
- Warm Home Discount
Visit the gov.uk website for more information and to find out if you qualify. It’s also worth checking with your supplier to see if they have a trust fund you can apply for.
Compare energy prices and switch to a cheaper energy supplier
Have you checked to see if you’re paying too much for your gas or electric bill? You can switch to a cheaper supplier at any time, as long as you don’t have arrears of more than £500 outstanding on a pre-payment meter.
If you're paying off arrears through a meter, you can only switch suppliers if the arrears have been outstanding for less than 28 days.
(note: there are some exceptions to this, such as when your arrears were the fault of the supplier.)
Energy comparison websites can help you find the best deal for your gas and electricity. We’d recommend using a switching service that has the Ofgem confidence code logo. That way, you can be confident that the website is taking the whole market into consideration when recommending a cheaper supplier.
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