Energy

If you were born before 25 September 1957 and get State Pension or certain benefits, you might be eligible for a payment between £250 and £600. 

GOV.UK has all the details on eligibility and how to claim.

A guaranteed annual winter heating benefit of £55.05 will be paid for the first time this winter, irrespective of weather conditions or temperature levels where you live. This launched in February 2023. It will be an automatic payment to all those who are eligible, so there is no need to apply

To receive these payments, you must be receiving a qualifying benefit, which include Pension Credit, Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment Support Allowance, Universal Credit and Support for Mortgage Interest.

It will be administered by Social Security Scotland and replaces the UK Government's Cold Weather Payments for Scotland.

Please Note: The Warm Home Discount Scheme for winter 2023 to 2024 has closed. It will reopen in October 2024.

A Warm Home Discount can provide you with a payment of £150 towards your electricity bill. 

The money is not paid directly to you, it's applied as an one-off discount on your electricity bill, between October and March.

If you receive Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit) you will get the Warm Home Discount automatically and will not have to apply. If you do not receive Pension Credit but meet the other eligibility criteria, you should apply directly to your electricity supplier. 

You’ll usually get the discount automatically if you’re eligible. 

Not all energy suppliers are part of the scheme. Check the "Warm Home Discount" link below to see if your energy supplier offers the scheme. If you're unsure who your supplier is, you can use the Find My Supplier tool.

Energy grants might be available from your energy supplier to help with gas and electricity debts. Energy suppliers might also provide other grants and support, such as replacing faulty household items.

Most energy suppliers only offer grants specifically to their customers and these are listed below.

The only exception is the British Gas Energy Trust which offer grants and schemes to anyone, even if you're not a customer.

Please note, you'll need to show that you have received debt advice to apply for an energy grant. You can get debt advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

If you are worried about paying for your energy bills, you can get help from our advice website. 

You may be able to agree a payment plan with your supplier or even pay off your debt through your benefits 

To find out more, click the link below: