If you're struggling with energy bills there's more help than most people know about: automatic payments for pensioners and people on benefits, discounts on your bill, funds run by energy companies, charity grants, and free debt advice.
Checked against each scheme's official page. Last updated 2 November 2026.
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 · 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 · 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 · 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.
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 · Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
£25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather
£25 paid automatically for each 7-day spell when your area averages zero degrees or below.
Who can get it: People getting Pension Credit, or certain people on Universal Credit, income-related ESA or Support for Mortgage Interest (for example with a disability or a child under 5).
Payment · Northern Ireland · Department for Communities
£25 for each 7-day cold spell
£25 for each 7-day spell when the average temperature in your area is, or is forecast to be, 0°C or below.
Who can get it: People in Northern Ireland getting Pension Credit, or Universal Credit, income-related ESA or Support for Mortgage Interest with extra conditions such as a disability premium, a child under 5 or a health condition.
Payment · England · Your local council, funded by DWP
Varies by council; usually cash or vouchers for urgent needs
Emergency help from your council if you hit a sudden money crisis, which can include help with energy bills, food and essentials, and help with housing costs. It replaced the Household Support Fund.
Who can get it: Low-income households in England facing a financial shock. Each council sets its own rules.
Payment · Wales · Welsh Government
Up to £750 for heating oil; other amounts depend on need
A grant you do not pay back for essential costs in a crisis, including gas, electricity and heating oil. Heating oil awards go up to £750.
Who can get it: People in Wales aged over 16 who are in extreme financial hardship or a crisis and have no other money such as savings.
Payment · Northern Ireland · Department for Communities (Finance Support Service)
Amount depends on need; grant or interest-free loan
A grant or interest-free loan to help with short-term living costs or replacing essential household items, such as a cooker, when you face a crisis.
Who can get it: People in Northern Ireland aged 18 or over (or 16 with no parental support) in a crisis that puts health or safety at serious risk, with combined income after deductions of no more than £29,741.40 a year.
Payment · Northern Ireland · Department for Communities
£100 prepaid card, one per address
A £100 digital prepaid card to spend with any Northern Ireland heating oil supplier.
Who can get it: Households in Northern Ireland that use heating oil as their main heating and either get a qualifying benefit (such as Pension Credit, Universal Credit or PIP) or have a net income under £30,000 for a single person or couple.
Payment · England · Your local council, funded by central government · Opening
£100 one-off payment
A one-off £100 paid by your council to help with energy costs, announced in the Autumn Budget 2026. There is also a £100 million council fund for struggling households in higher bands.
Who can get it: Households in England who live in, and pay council tax on, a home in council tax bands A to D as their main home. Most council tax-exempt households are included.
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 · Wales · Welsh Government with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, delivered by Severn Wye
£500 paid to your energy supplier
£500 paid straight to your energy supplier for people whose long-term health condition is made worse by a cold, damp home.
Who can get it: About 100 households in the Aneurin Bevan health board area with conditions such as COPD, asthma or heart disease, chosen by the health board.
Payment · England, Wales · Department for Work and Pensions (DWP); HMRC takes it back from higher earners
£200 or £300 per household for winter 2026 to 2027 (£100 to £150 each if shared or in a care home)
A tax-free payment of £100 to £300 to help with heating bills, for people born on or before 27 June 1960.
Who can get it: People born on or before 27 June 1960 who usually live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If your own total taxable income is over £35,000, HMRC takes it back.
Payment · Northern Ireland · Department for Communities
£100 to £300 a year
A tax-free yearly payment of £100 to £300 to help older people with heating bills.
Who can get it: People living in Northern Ireland born on or before 27 June 1960.
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.
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 · Northern Ireland · Department for the Economy, through your electricity supplier
£63 off in 2026
An automatic £63 off your electricity bill, or £63 credit on a keypad meter, paid by government each year from 2026 to 2028.
Who can get it: Every household with a domestic electricity account in Northern Ireland. It is not means tested.
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.
Offer · England, Wales · Age UK and Age Cymru (charity)
Free checks and small energy-saving items
Free benefit checks and home energy checks from local Age UK and Age Cymru branches to help older people stay warm.
Who can get it: Older people in England and Wales where their local Age UK or Age Cymru runs the service.
Offer · Northern Ireland · Budget Energy
Payment plans and support
Budget Energy offers repayment plans based on what you can afford, worked out with a Common Financial Statement questionnaire.
Who can get it: Budget Energy electricity customers in Northern Ireland who have fallen behind or are worried about paying.
Offer · Northern Ireland · Click Energy
Payment plans and support
Click Energy will discuss payment arrangements if you are struggling and says it always assesses your ability to pay.
Who can get it: Click Energy electricity customers in Northern Ireland who are struggling to pay.
Offer · Northern Ireland · Power NI
Payment plans and support
Power NI's specialist team helps customers who are struggling to pay with payment plans, benefit checks and referrals to support agencies.
Who can get it: Power NI electricity customers who are finding it hard to pay.
Offer · Northern Ireland · SSE Airtricity
Payment plans and support
SSE Airtricity can set up a payment plan that suits you, review your account and refer you to an advice agency.
Who can get it: SSE Airtricity electricity or gas customers in Northern Ireland who are struggling to pay.
Offer · Northern Ireland · firmus energy
Payment plans and support
firmus energy will agree a suitable arrangement, such as a repayment plan, and can pass your details to free advice services with your permission.
Who can get it: firmus energy gas customers in Northern Ireland who are in unexpected financial difficulty.
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 · Northern Ireland · Advice NI
Free advice
Free, independent debt and money advice in Northern Ireland, including help with fuel and energy debt.
Who can get it: Anyone in Northern Ireland who is worried about debt or paying energy bills.
Free advice · Northern Ireland · Age NI (charity)
Free advice
A free advice line that helps older people in Northern Ireland check benefits and find help with heating costs.
Who can get it: Older people in Northern Ireland and people worried about an older person.
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 · Citizens Advice
Free advice
Free advice on energy bills, debt, payment plans and complaints from Citizens Advice in England and Wales.
Who can get it: Anyone in England or Wales who is struggling with energy bills or debt, or has a problem with their energy supplier.
Free advice · Northern Ireland · Consumer Council for Northern Ireland
Free complaints service
A free service that helps with unresolved complaints about energy suppliers in Northern Ireland.
Who can get it: Households in Northern Ireland with a complaint about their electricity or gas supplier that the supplier has not put right.
Free advice · Northern Ireland · Utility Regulator and all NI electricity and gas suppliers
Free help from your supplier
Extra winter protections from every Northern Ireland electricity and gas supplier for households struggling to pay.
Who can get it: All households in Northern Ireland, but most useful if you are struggling, in debt or need extra support.
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 · 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 · 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.
