Help with heating problems and how to pay for them
Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity markets) has published advice and information on how you are protected when energy firms collapse
You may think that your home needs better heating and insulation, but you’re not sure who can help or how you can afford it. Or perhaps you want to make a complaint about your energy supplier. If so, there are many organisations and schemes in place to help you.
Getting Advice on Heating and Insulation
Energy Services, Newcastle City Council provide advice on a helpline about energy use in the home, how to reduce fuel bills, and how to keep warm. They can also help with dealing with gas and electricity suppliers and reducing fuel debt.
Simple Energy Advice offers impartial and independent advice to help you:-
- reduce your energy bills
- make your home warmer
- plan home improvements
- make your home greener
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.
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.
Help towards heating bills and fuel debt
There are several organisations that may be able to help if you are struggling with fuel bills or to pay towards the costs of heating and insulation improvements to your home.
Energy Services, Newcastle City Council can offer advice via their helpline about energy use in the home, 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.
Grants are also available:
- British Gas Energy Trust
- Scottish Power Hardship Fund
- Ovo Energy Fund
- EDF Energy Fund
- EON Next Energy Fund
- Bulb Energy Fund
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.
Warm Home Discount Scheme
The Warm Home Discount Scheme provides a £140 discount on your electricity bill if on the qualifying date:
The discount won’t affect your Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment
Visit Gov.uk for a list of suppliers who are part of the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
Finding Reliable Tradespeople may also be a priority for you. You may wish to search the government approved Gas Safety Register for registered gas engineers.
Winter Fuel and Cold Weather Payments
Schemes are available to older people to help pay their energy bills during the colder months.
See Cold Weather Payment or 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.
Energy Services, Newcastle City Council may be able to help you deal with your energy supplier to resolve the problem.
Other Useful Information
- Problems paying your energy bills – Citizen’s Advice guide
- Help with heating costs – Age UK factsheet
- Gas and Electricity
- Keep warm keep well, and borrow wisely – information leaflets.
Where can I get benefits advice?
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:
- Citizens Advice Newcastle – provide advice to anyone in Newcastle
- Newcastle Welfare Rights Service – provide advice to people in priority groups including those over 65. They have self help material on their website.
- Search Newcastle give benefits advice to older people in the West of Newcastle
There are more benefit advice services available across Newcastle. Read the Where to get benefit advice booklet.
Last updated: May 11, 2022
