Get help if you’re behind with your energy bills

If you’re struggling to afford your gas and electricity bills, contact your supplier to discuss ways to pay what you owe them.

Your supplier has to help you come to a solution. You should try to negotiate a deal that works for both of you.

If you don’t try to negotiate with your supplier, they might threaten to disconnect you. Check what to do if you’ve been told your energy supply will be disconnected.

If your supplier doesn’t disconnect you, you should still arrange to pay what you owe them. This protects you from being disconnected in the future.

Find out how to contact your supplier about a problem.

If you have more than one debt

Energy arrears are a 'priority debt'. This means you need to pay them before debts like credit cards. If you have more than one debt, work out which debts to pay first. 

Agree a payment plan with your supplier

If you have a prepayment meter, you can pay back a bit of the debt each time you top up your meter. Check our advice about paying back money to your supplier if you have a prepayment meter.

If you don’t have a prepayment meter, tell your supplier that you want to pay off your debts in instalments as part of a payment plan.

You’ll pay fixed amounts over a set period of time, meaning you’ll pay what you can afford. The payment plan will cover what you owe plus an amount for your current use.

Your supplier must take into account:

• how much you can afford to pay - give them details about your income and outgoings, debts and personal circumstances

• how much energy you’ll use in future - they’ll estimate this based on your past usage, but give them regular meter readings to make this more accurate

If you’re not sure how much you can afford to pay, you can use the free budget planner on the MoneyHelper website.

Example

You owe £400 to your supplier for debts. Instead of paying this in one go, you speak to your supplier - you tell them the maximum you can afford to pay is £40 a week. You agree with them to pay £10 a week to cover the debt, and £30 a week to cover your current energy usage until the debt’s paid off.

If you can’t afford the payment plan

Speak to your supplier again if you think they’re charging you too much or you're struggling to afford the repayments.

You can ask your supplier to pause your repayments for a short amount of time. They must consider your situation but they don’t have to agree to a pause.

You can explain why pausing your repayment will help your situation. For example, tell them if you’ve lost your job and you’re looking for a new one or you’re waiting for a benefit payment.

If your supplier doesn’t agree to a repayment pause and you don’t think they’ve considered your situation, you can complain to your energy supplier.

If your supplier agrees to pause your repayments, you should agree with them how long your repayments will be paused for. 

Your supplier should contact you before they start taking any repayments again. They should check if you can afford the repayment amount.

Check if something is a scam

Some scammers pretend to be from energy companies to get your personal information.

If you think something might be a scam: 

• don’t give out any personal information or bank details

• don’t use any contact details from the possible scam

You can check if something is a scam.

Check if you can get a grant to help pay off your energy debt

If you’re in debt to your energy supplier, you might be able to get a grant to help pay it off.

The following energy suppliers offer grants to their customers:

• British Gas Energy Support Fund - apply for a grant on the British Gas Energy Trust website

• Scottish Power Hardship Fund - apply for a grant on the Scottish Power Hardship Fund website

• Ovo Customer Support Package - apply for help on the Ovo Energy Fund website

• E.ON Next Energy Fund - apply for a grant on the E.ON Next Energy Fund website

• EDF Energy Customer Support Fund - sign up to the Priority Services Register to apply for a grant on the EDF Energy website

• Octopus Octo Assist fund - apply for a grant on the Octopus website

If your supplier isn’t listed, it’s a good idea to contact them directly to see what extra support they can give you.

If you can’t get a grant from your supplier, you might be able to get a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust. These grants are available to anyone - you don’t have to be a British Gas customer.

You’ll need to get debt advice before applying - talk to an adviser. 

If you've already spoken to a debt adviser, check if you can get a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust.

Before you apply

When you apply for a grant, you'll have to provide detailed information about your financial situation in your application. It could take a while to complete, and it might be worth getting help from a friend or family member.

Talk to an adviser if you need for help filling in forms.

It’s worth checking on the trust or fund website if there’s anything else you need to do before you apply.

For example, if your supplier is E.ON Next or EDF you’ll need to show you’ve completed a budget sheet with a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approved adviser. To do this:

1. Find an adviser using the debt advice locator on the Money Helper website

2. Check if the adviser or their firm is on the FCA register

3. Contact the adviser to arrange a conversation where you’ll complete a budget sheet

You can get ready for your conversation by using the Budget Planner on the Money Helper website.

Pay off your debt through your benefits

You might be able to repay your debt directly from your benefits through the Fuel Direct Scheme. Your supplier can ask your benefit provider to use some of your benefits to pay off your debt. They don’t need your permission to do this, but they should try other ways to help you repay your debt first.

A fixed amount will automatically be taken from your benefits to cover your debt. Your supplier might ask you to use the Fuel Direct Scheme to pay for your current energy use. They’ll need your permission to set up the payments. They can’t do this if you have a prepayment meter.

The Fuel Direct Scheme can be a good option if you can’t agree on a plan to pay back your debt. It’s usually better than getting a prepayment meter. 

If you get a prepayment meter and you can’t afford to top it up, you’ll have no gas or electricity. If you use the Fuel Direct Scheme, you won’t risk having no gas or electricity. 

To be eligible for the Fuel Direct Scheme, you must be getting one of the following benefits:

• Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income Support

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Pension Credit

• Universal Credit 

If you’re getting Universal Credit and you’re working, you’re only eligible for the Fuel Direct Scheme if your earnings are less than your ‘work allowance’. If you’re not sure if you earn less than your work allowance, contact Universal Credit using the contact details on GOV.UK.

Apply for the Fuel Direct Scheme

Ask your supplier if you can use the Fuel Direct Scheme to pay your debt. If your supplier agrees, they’ll apply to your benefit provider to set up the payments. 

If you want, you can also use the Fuel Direct Scheme to pay off your current energy use - speak to your supplier about this. Your supplier will tell you how much will be taken from your benefits. You won’t be able to do this if you have a prepayment meter.

If you want to change the amount you pay for your current energy use from your benefits, contact your supplier. If you want to stop the payments, contact your benefit provider. You’ll need to speak to your supplier to arrange another way to pay for your energy. 

If you already pay your debt using the Fuel Direct Scheme

You can ask to start paying your current energy bills directly from your benefits, as well as your debt. You can’t do this if you have a prepayment meter.

If you want to do this, contact your energy supplier. You’ll need to:

• submit a meter reading to make sure you get an accurate bill

• give them your consent - either on the phone or in writing

• agree on an amount that covers the cost of the energy you use

If your bills go up, it’s a good idea to increase the payments from your benefits if you can afford it. This can help you avoid getting into more debt. If you do get into more debt, your supplier might force you to have a prepayment meter.

Your supplier can also ask you to start paying for your energy bills through your benefits. You have to agree before any payments can be taken. 

If you’re already paying for your current energy bills through your benefits, your supplier can ask you to increase the amount. You have to agree before the amount can be changed. 

If you don’t come to an agreement

If you’re not able to agree a payment plan with your supplier, or you don’t stick to a plan you previously agreed to, your supplier might try to force you to have a prepayment meter installed. Check how to stop your supplier moving you to a prepayment meter.

In very rare cases your supplier might threaten you with disconnection. Check what to do if you’ve been told your energy supply will be disconnected.

Get help from an adviser

If you can’t come to an agreement with your supplier or you’re not happy with the option they’ve given you, get advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service.

If you’re struggling with living costs

If you’re struggling with money, there are things you can do to save on your regular living costs. Check what to do if you need help with living costs.

If you’re finding it hard to pay your bills, you can get help. Find out more about getting help with your bills.

You can also get help with debts.

If you're struggling to pay for food, find out how to get help from a food bank.

If you need a warm, welcoming space

‘Warm welcome’ spaces are public places that anyone can use - for example a community space like a library. They’re free, warm, welcoming and safe.

You can ask your local council about warm welcome spaces near you. You can find out how to contact your local council on GOV.UK.

Some spaces are only open in winter and some are open all year. Each space is different, but they might offer things like:

• hot food and drink

• activities and the chance to learn new things

• a place to meet people in your community

• access to the internet and help to use a computer

If you’re finding things difficult

Your mental health is as important as your physical health. You should talk to your GP if your money problems are affecting your mental health. 

You can find other ways to get help with your mental health on the Mind website.

If you need to speak to someone

You can speak to a trained volunteer at organisations like Samaritans or Shout.

Samaritans

Helpline: 116 123 (Monday to Sunday at any time)

Welsh Language Line: 0808 164 0123 (Monday to Sunday 7pm to 11pm)

Calls to Samaritans are free.

You can find other ways to get in touch with Samaritans on their website.

Shout

You can also text 'SHOUT' to 85258 to start a conversation with a trained Shout 85258 volunteer. Texts are free, anonymous and confidential from anywhere in the UK.

If you think it's an emergency

If you think your life or someone else’s is at risk, you should call 999 or go to A&E if you can.

You can also find a list of urgent mental health services on the Mind website.