Advice to help you keep warm this winter

As the weather cools, it’s time to think about keeping your home warm and managing energy costs. We’re here with practical tips to help you stay comfortable and save money. If you’re struggling with payments, we’ll advise you on what to do, and what grants and benefits you could be eligible for.

If you need extra support from your energy supplier

If you find it hard to deal with your energy supply you could get extra help from your energy companies, such as moving your prepayment meter if you find it difficult to get to or making your call a priority when you contact them.

You'll normally be able to get priority services from your energy companies if you're disabled or have a long-term health condition. This includes hearing, sight and mental health conditions. Your supplier might also agree to sign you up for priority services if you:

• Have reached your State Pension age

• Would struggle to answer the door or get help in an emergency

• Are recovering from an injury

• Have no sense of smell, or would struggle to smell gas

If your situation isn't listed, you might still be able to sign up for priority services for other reasons - for example, if you're recently bereaved.

You can sign up by going to thepsr.co.uk and entering your postcode - this will provide links to the forms you need to complete for both your gas and electricity supply.

What to do if you’re finding it hard to keep up with payments

If you’re struggling to pay your gas and electricity bills, there is help available.

Speak to your supplier as soon as you can. Your supplier has to help you come to a solution - putting you on a repayment plan that takes into account how much you can afford to pay.

You can also ask them for:

• a review of your current payments and debt repayments

• payment breaks or reductions

• more time to pay

• access to hardship funds

• advice on how to use less energy

Getting help to pay your energy bills

There are a range of support options available if you need help paying your energy bills.

Look out for:

• Winter Fuel Payment: This is an annual one-off payment to help you pay for heating during the winter, if you were born before 22nd September 1959. Most people will receive payments automatically. Check if you need to apply for Winter Fuel Payment on GOV.UK.

• Warm Home Discount: If you get benefits, you might be able to get £150 off your electricity bill or £150 added to your prepayment meter. You’ll usually get the payment by 31 March 2026. If you're eligible, you should get paid automatically. Check if you can get the Warm Home Discount on GOV.UK.

• Cold Weather Payment: If you get certain benefits you might get a Cold Weather Payment when it's very cold. If you're eligible, you'll get paid automatically into the same bank or building society as your benefit payments. Check if you can get a Cold Weather Payment on GOV.UK.

If you have a prepayment meter

If you’ve run out of gas or electricity, your energy supplier might add emergency credit to your meter automatically - if they don’t, you should ask for it as soon as you can. You can check your supplier’s website to find out how to get emergency credit.

If you run out of emergency credit and are still struggling to top up, some suppliers may be able to give you additional support credit if you ask them.

You will have to pay any emergency or additional support credit back.

Check if you can get a fuel voucher

Your local council might be able to help you get a fuel voucher - find your local council on GOV.UK.

You'll get the voucher as a code in a letter, text message or email. You can use it to add credit to your gas card or electricity key.

Make sure you check your fuel voucher to see when it expires, as you might need to use it within 15 days. If you have problems using your voucher, contact the organisation that gave it to you, not your energy supplier.

Get help to pay off energy debt

If you’re behind with your energy bills, you might be able to get a grant to help you pay off your debt. This might be from your energy supplier or a charitable trust.

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.

Read more about how to get help paying your energy bills here.

Saving energy at home

You might be able to save on your energy bills by using less energy.

There are quick and simple things you can do - for example:

• check your central heating controls so you stay warm but use less energy

• check the cost of running your electrical appliances so you can decide how best to use them

It’s important to keep using your heating and essential appliances. Otherwise, it could make you ill, or cause problems such as damp.

You can find more tips for saving energy when heating your home, and using your electrical appliances here.

Last updated: September 2025