Help with heating problems and how to pay for them

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    As energy costs increase you may be struggling to pay your bills. Upgrading your heating system or insulating you home can help to reduce your energy costs. Help is available to arrange and pay for this.

    Find out more below about local support and help available.

    Heating and insulation advice

    Energy Services, Newcastle City Council give energy advice on their telephone helpline. This includes how to reduce your fuel bills and keep warm. They can help with dealing with gas and electricity suppliers and reducing your fuel debt.

    Northern Powergrid and Energy Saving Trust have launched a new app which is packed with advice, guidance and top tips to help you be energy efficient in every room in your house. The Powergrid – Energy Saving App is free to download and provides independent advice so you can make informed decisions for your household. Download from Apple Store and Google Play.

    Read more on InformationNOW about:

    Home improvement support

    The Sustainable Warmth scheme has new funding to support low-income households, who do not have gas central heating, with energy saving home improvements like insulation and solar panels.

    Gas safety

    Worried about the cost of a gas safety check?  Care & Repair Newcastle has a small fund available from the Gas Safe Charity to help older or disabled people pay for a gas safety check, servicing or repairs.

    Read more on Gas safety

    Help to pay heating bills and energy debt

    If you are struggling to pay your fuel bills or to need help with the cost of heating and insulation improvements to your home, help is available.

    Energy Services, Newcastle City Council can give telephone advice about your energy use. How to reduce fuel bills and how to keep warm.

    Let’s Talk Charis manages financial assistance on behalf of a number of energy suppliers.

    Read more information about:

    Energy provider grants

    Grants are available from these energy providers:

    If you can’t get a grant from your supplier, check if you can 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.

    Gov.uk’s Find a Grant service is where you can search for government funding to help you pay for things such as a new boiler.

    What to do if your energy firm closes

    Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity markets) has published advice and information on how you are protected when energy firms collapse

    Help with prepayment energy costs

    If your prepayment meters are about to run out of credit and you don’t have any funds to top up, you need to contact your energy supplier.

    Your supplier should be able to issue a credit voucher or extend your emergency credit.

    If your supplier tells you that they won’t help, then you can ask the Citizens Advice extra help unit to speak to them on your behalf:

    Warm Home Discount Scheme

    The Warm Home Discount Scheme provides a £150 discount on your electricity bill to people who are eligible. Visit their website to find out if you meet the criteria.

    This discount doesn’t affect your Cold Weather or Winter Fuel Payment.

    Winter Fuel and Cold Weather Payments

    These schemes are for older people to help pay their energy bills during the colder months.

    See our Cold Weather Payment and Winter Fuel Payment articles for more information.

    Threatened with Disconnection?

    If you are threatened with disconnection because you can’t pay your fuel bills, you should contact the energy company straightaway. It is likely that something can be done to help you. Your options might include:

    • making an arrangement with the energy company to repay your debts
    • being offered a pre-payment meter as an alternative to disconnection
    • use your benefits payments to help pay your bills and avoid disconnection. Some of your benefit will be deducted every week and will be paid directly to your energy supplier.

    Where to get energy advice

    Energy Services, Newcastle City Council offers energy advice to people living in Newcastle.

    Citizens Advice Newcastle provide energy advice to anyone in Newcastle.

    Search Newcastle They offer a free home energy assessment and advice on how to save energy at home. They can arrange for some small items to be fitted for you to help. Such as Radiator Foils on external walls, draft excluders on doors, windows, letter boxes, insulating jackets on hot water cisterns. They can help with one to one energy advice, problems with your bills, and to look for the grants and discounts.

    Benefits advice in Newcastle

    It can be useful to speak with someone about the benefits you may be entitled to and how they may impact upon your other benefits. A local independent advice service can help guide you through the process such as:

    Newcastle Welfare Rights Service provide advice to people in priority groups including those over 65. They have self-help material on their website.

    There are more benefit advice services available across Newcastle. Read the Where to get benefit advice booklet.

    Help for individuals and families from charities

    Some charities help people in financial need. You can search them for charities that can help you in various circumstances.

    Turn2us is a charity where you find charitable funds and grants to apply for, when you need money for essential things in life. For example, furniture, household items, white goods, electrical items, studying, bringing up children, experiencing life changing circumstances and more. They have a telephone helpline, benefits calculator and online information.

    Last updated: September 22, 2023