These are the schemes open to homes in Scotland, from the government, councils, energy companies and charities. Put in your postcode to see which of them match your home and household.
Checked against each scheme's official page. Last updated 2 November 2026.
Grant · Whole UK · Family Action (charity)
Usually £200 to £300
A one-off grant for essential household goods such as a cooker, fridge freezer or washing machine.
Who can get it: People aged 66 and over on Universal Credit or Pension Credit who need essential household goods. Other groups are closed until January 2027.
Grant · Whole UK · Family Fund (charity)
Grant items, value not published
Grants for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, which can include a new cooker, fridge, freezer or washing machine.
Who can get it: Parents or carers on a low income or benefits who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child, and have lived in the UK for 6 months.
Grant · Whole UK · Macmillan Cancer Support (charity)
£350 one-off payment
A one-off £350 payment for extra costs of cancer, such as heating bills, in some council areas.
Who can get it: People with an active cancer diagnosis on a low income who live in one of the council areas on Macmillan's list.
Grant · Whole UK · Royal British Legion (charity)
Amount not published
A quick grant for serving and ex-serving people and their families who cannot afford everyday essentials.
Who can get it: Anyone who has served at least one day in the UK Armed Forces, and their immediate family, who is struggling to pay for essentials.
Grant · Whole UK · SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity
Amount not published
SSAFA caseworkers help forces families with priority debts like gas and electricity and apply to charities for household costs.
Who can get it: Anyone who has had at least one day's pay from the British Armed Forces, including Reserves, and their immediate family.
Grant · Scotland · Local councils, funded by the Scottish Government
Varies by council, often free or heavily reduced
Council-run schemes in areas with high fuel poverty that pay for insulation such as loft, cavity, internal or external wall and room-in-roof insulation, and sometimes home renewables.
Who can get it: Homeowners who struggle to heat their home, living in an area their council has chosen for a scheme. Each council sets its own rules.
Grant · England, Wales, Scotland · British Gas Energy Trust (charity)
Up to £1,700 to clear energy debt
A grant paid to your energy supplier to clear gas and electricity debt on your current account.
Who can get it: Households in England, Scotland or Wales with £50 to £1,700 of debt on a prepayment meter, or £100 to £1,700 on a credit account, with household income under £25,000 (or a qualifying situation such as disability benefits, Carer's Allowance, 3 or more children, lone parent or living alone).
Grant · England, Wales, Scotland · E.ON Next, run by Charis
Clears your energy debt after a 3 month trial of payments (no maximum published)
A grant to clear gas and electricity debt, or a free replacement cooker, fridge, fridge freezer or washing machine if yours is broken or in poor condition.
Who can get it: E.ON Next and Sainsbury's Energy customers in financial hardship.
Grant · England, Wales, Scotland · Your local council (declarations) with energy suppliers · Closing
Usually free insulation or heating upgrades through ECO4.
Lets your council refer you for ECO4 help even if you do not get benefits, for example if you are on a low income or vulnerable to the cold. The same Flex Route 2 test can also qualify you for the Warm Homes: Local Grant.
Who can get it: Private households (owners and private tenants) that meet their council's published Statement of Intent, usually low income or a health condition made worse by cold.
Grant · England, Wales, Scotland · EDF, run by Charis Grants
Amount depends on your debt and situation (no maximum published)
A grant to help clear gas or electricity debt on your EDF account, and in some cases an essential appliance such as a fridge or cooker.
Who can get it: EDF customers who are struggling with energy debt and are vulnerable or on a low income.
Grant · England, Wales, Scotland · Large energy suppliers, regulated by Ofgem · Closing
Usually free; you may be asked for a contribution.
Free or cheaper insulation and heating upgrades paid for by energy suppliers for low-income and vulnerable households. It is closing and no new scheme will replace it.
Who can get it: People on certain benefits in privately owned (EPC D to G) or privately rented (EPC E to G) homes, social tenants in EPC E to G homes, and people referred by their council under ECO Flex.
Grant · Scotland · Scottish Government, through Home Energy Scotland
Up to £7,500 grant plus £7,500 loan for clean heating, up to £7,500 grant for insulation; up to £18,000 grant in rural and island homes
A grant of up to £7,500 plus an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500 for a heat pump or other clean heating, and a grant of up to 75% of the cost (capped at £7,500) for insulation. Rural and island homes get an extra £1,500 on each grant.
Who can get it: Homeowners in Scotland, for the home they live in as their only or main home. You do not need to be on benefits.
Grant · England, Wales, Scotland · ScottishPower, run by Sigma Connected Support
Part or all of your ScottishPower energy debt
A credit to your ScottishPower account that clears or reduces what you owe.
Who can get it: ScottishPower customers on a low income who are behind with bills, for example on Universal Credit, Pension Credit Savings Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related ESA, income-based JSA, Income Support or tax credits, or whose income has dropped through illness.
Grant · Scotland · Scottish Government, through Home Energy Scotland and Warmworks
Most or all costs paid, often worth £10,000 or more
Free home improvements such as wall and loft insulation, draught proofing, new heating (storage heaters, a gas boiler or an air source heat pump) and home renewables. Support is often worth £10,000 or more.
Who can get it: Homeowners and private tenants in Scotland with a poor energy rating, where someone in the home gets a qualifying benefit, is 75 or over with no working heating, or is terminally ill.
Payment · Whole UK · Fuel Bank Foundation (charity)
About 7 to 10 days of fuel
An emergency voucher to top up a prepayment gas or electricity meter when you have run out or are about to.
Who can get it: Households on a prepayment meter who have run out of credit, or soon will, and cannot afford to top up.
Payment · Scotland · Social Security Scotland
£265.50 once a year
A yearly payment of £265.50 to help families of disabled children and young people with higher heating costs in winter.
Who can get it: Children and young people under 19 in Scotland getting the highest care rate of Child Disability Payment or DLA, or the enhanced daily living rate of PIP or Adult Disability Payment.
Payment · England, Wales, Scotland · OVO
Amount depends on your situation (no maximum published)
Help for OVO customers who think they will struggle to pay, which can include money towards your energy bill or existing energy debt, and payment plans.
Who can get it: OVO customers who are struggling to pay. OVO looks at household income, spare income and medical needs.
Payment · England, Wales, Scotland · Octopus Energy
Tailored to your situation from a £40m fund (no maximum published)
Help for Octopus customers who are struggling, which can include direct help with your bill, a standing charge holiday, a free thermal camera loan, or a free heated throw if you have a medical need.
Who can get it: Octopus Energy customers in the greatest need, for example on a low income or whose health depends on heat and power.
Payment · Scotland · Social Security Scotland
£105.55 to £316.70 a year (£211.15 if aged 66 to 79, £316.70 if 80 or over, less if shared)
A yearly payment of £105.55 to £316.70 to help people of State Pension age with heating costs. It replaces the Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland.
Who can get it: People living in Scotland born on or before 27 June 1960.
Payment · Scotland · Scottish Government, run by Advice Direct Scotland
£300 per payment (two payments allowed in the first six months)
£300 towards heating oil or LPG, usually paid straight to your fuel supplier so you can place an order.
Who can get it: Low income households in Scotland who heat with oil or LPG, including people on means-tested benefits, and others in hardship with unavoidable heating needs such as disabled people or those at risk of going without heat.
Payment · Scotland · Local councils, funded by the Scottish Government
Amount depends on need
A one-off grant you do not pay back to help in an emergency, including help with food or heating costs.
Who can get it: People in Scotland aged 16 or over on a low income who face an emergency. You do not have to be on benefits.
Payment · Scotland · Social Security Scotland
£62 once a year
A yearly payment of £62 to help with heating costs in winter, paid whatever the weather. It replaces the Cold Weather Payment in Scotland.
Who can get it: People in Scotland getting certain low income benefits during the qualifying week.
Loan · Whole UK · Approved lenders (banks, credit unions and finance firms), backed by DESNZ
Lower-interest loan; amount, rate and term set by each lender.
A cheaper loan from a high street or specialist lender, part-funded by the government, to pay for a heat pump, solar panels, a home battery and similar upgrades.
Who can get it: Anyone who owns their home (with or without a mortgage) anywhere in the UK, subject to the lender's credit and affordability checks.
Loan · Scotland · Scottish Government, through Home Energy Scotland
Up to £38,500 per property (£15,000 efficiency, £17,500 renewables, £6,000 storage); 0% for up to 5 properties
An interest-free loan for registered private landlords to insulate rented homes and fit heat pumps or other renewables, up to £38,500 per property.
Who can get it: Registered private landlords in Scotland. Tenants can point their landlord to it.
Discount · England, Wales, Scotland · Ofgem and energy suppliers · Opening
Write-off of eligible 2022 to 2024 energy debt
A one-off scheme to write off energy debt built up during the 2022 to 2024 energy crisis for people in financial difficulty, if they re-engage with paying.
Who can get it: Bill payers on means-tested benefits, disability benefits, or of pension age, who built up energy debt during 2022 to 2024.
Discount · England, Wales, Scotland · Your electricity supplier, under rules set by DESNZ and Ofgem
£150 off your electricity bill for winter 2026 to 2027
A one-off £150 taken off your electricity bill (or gas bill with a dual fuel supplier) each winter. It is not paid to you as cash.
Who can get it: In England and Wales: households where you or your partner got Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, income-related ESA or Pension Credit on 23 August 2026, your name is on the electricity bill, and your supplier is in the scheme.
Tariff · England, Wales, Scotland · Electricity suppliers (SEG licensees), overseen by Ofgem
Pence per unit exported; rate set by each supplier and always above zero
Energy suppliers pay you for the spare electricity your solar panels or other small generator send to the grid.
Who can get it: Anyone in Great Britain with solar panels, a small wind turbine, hydro, micro CHP or anaerobic digestion up to 5MW (micro CHP up to 50kW), with an export meter (usually a smart meter).
Tax saving · Whole UK · HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) · Closing
0% VAT instead of 5% on installed energy-saving products
No VAT is charged when an installer fits insulation, solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, heating controls and similar products in a home. This saves you 5% compared with the normal reduced rate.
Who can get it: Anyone having qualifying products installed in a home (or charity building) in the UK. Applied by the installer.
Tax saving · Whole UK · HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), applied by your electricity supplier
About £45 to £50 a year off a typical electricity bill
VAT has been taken off home electricity bills, cutting them by about £45 to £50 a year. It happens automatically.
Who can get it: All households in Great Britain, including prepayment customers. Northern Ireland is expected to get the cut from April 2027.
Free advice · Whole UK · Various occupational charities (found through Turn2us)
Varies by fund
Many trades and professions have their own charity that can help past and present workers with bills and essentials.
Who can get it: People who work or used to work in a particular job, and often their partners and children. Each fund sets its own rules.
Free advice · Whole UK · MoneyHelper (Money and Pensions Service, government backed)
Free advice
A free online tool that finds free, confidential debt advice by phone, online or face to face where you live.
Who can get it: Anyone in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland looking for free debt advice.
Free advice · Whole UK · StepChange Debt Charity
Free advice
Free debt advice online or by phone, including help with gas and electricity arrears.
Who can get it: Anyone in the UK who is worried about debt, including energy bill debt. You do not need to be behind on payments to ask for help.
Free advice · Whole UK · Turn2us (charity)
Free search tool
A free online search that matches you to charity grants from over 1,700 UK organisations.
Who can get it: Anyone living in the UK who needs help with essentials. You answer a few questions and it lists grants you may get.
Free advice · Whole UK · Warm Welcome Campaign, Good Faith Foundation (charity)
Free to use
A map of free, welcoming community spaces near you where you can keep warm, have a hot drink and meet people.
Who can get it: Anyone. You do not need to qualify or be referred.
Free advice · Scotland · Age Scotland (charity)
Free advice and free CO alarms
A free helpline that helps older people in Scotland with energy bills, boilers, smart meters and benefit checks.
Who can get it: Older people, their carers and families in Scotland.
Free advice · Scotland · Citizens Advice Scotland and Advice Direct Scotland
Free advice
Free money, debt and energy advice in Scotland from local Citizens Advice Bureaux and the Energy Advice Scotland helpline.
Who can get it: Anyone in Scotland who is worried about energy bills, energy debt or money.
Free advice · England, Wales, Scotland · Energy Ombudsman
Free complaints service
A free, impartial service that settles complaints you cannot sort out with your energy supplier or network company.
Who can get it: Households and small businesses with an unresolved complaint about an energy supplier, network operator, heat network or Green Deal provider.
Free advice · Scotland · Scottish Government (run by Energy Saving Trust)
Free advice
Free, impartial advice on saving energy, keeping warm, clean heating and the grants and loans you could get, with help to apply.
Who can get it: Anyone living in Scotland.
Free advice · England, Wales, Scotland · National Debtline (charity)
Free advice
Free, confidential debt advice by phone, webchat and online for people in England, Wales and Scotland.
Who can get it: Anyone in England, Wales or Scotland worried about debt, including energy bill arrears.
Free advice · England, Wales, Scotland · Your energy supplier and electricity and gas network operators, overseen by Ofgem
Free extra support (no money)
A free list that gets you extra help, such as warning of power cuts, priority support if your supply is cut off, a password scheme for callers and bills in accessible formats.
Who can get it: People who have reached State Pension age, are disabled or have a long-term or mental health condition, are pregnant or have young children, rely on medical equipment that needs power, struggle with English, or are going through a change such as bereavement or leaving hospital.
Free advice · England, Wales, Scotland · Ofgem (energy regulator)
Free help from your supplier
Ofgem says you can ask your supplier for a payment plan, a payment break or reduction, a review of your payments and debt repayments, and access to hardship funds.
Who can get it: Any household in England, Scotland or Wales that is struggling, or expects to struggle, to pay gas or electricity bills.
Put in your postcode and answer a few optional questions to see which of these you look eligible for.
