Free gadgets & £2k grants – help you can get as energy price cap revealed
ENERGY bills are set to fall from the start of April, but some households may still need a helping hand to make ends meet.
The energy regulator Ofgem has confirmed the new price cap, which comes into effect within weeks.
The cap will fall from £1,928 to £1,690, meaning a typical household will save around £238 per year.
It’s important to note though that this is not a cap on the overall amount people pay for their energy.
Instead, it caps the amount that they pay per kilowatt hour, or unit, of gas and electricity.
Those who use less will pay less, and those who use more will pay more.
If you’re still worried about paying your bills, some freebies could help you keep energy costs down.
Luckily, there are a number of energy-saving grants you can access to help your bank account.
From electric blankets to solar panels, fuel payments and energy vouchers, here’s all the help you can get now.
Energy grants
Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria varies depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
The fund has recently increased up from £1,500 “to acknowledge that some need extra help,” amidst the cost of living crisis.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund and you can do so on its website.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
If you’re with any of these firms, you should contact their customer service team or check out their websites for more details.
Free electric blankets and money-saving gadgets
Octopus Energy is offering customers free electric blankets through its £30million Octopus Assist fund.
The energy firm, which services over five million customers, is dishing out the money-saving gadgets to the most vulnerable.
This means those most likely to receive help are the elderly and those with mobility issues or other medical conditions.
You should contact Octopus to find out if you’re eligible for help.
Granny-of-three-Joyce Burke managed to bag a free electric blanket from Octopus and described it as “brilliant”.
Ovo Energy is also offering money-saving gadgets to households through a £40million customer support package.
Customers struggling to pay bills can get access to free energy-saving items like electric throws and mattress toppers, LED bulbs, SMART sockets and free boiler servicing.
How to take a meter reading
It’s important that households take a meter reading before midnight on March 31.
An updated meter reading helps stop your supplier from determining bill prices that aren’t accurate to your usage.
Even though bills will be dropping, it’s still important to take a meter reading to make it as easy as possible.
In addition, if you are disputing a bill, taking a meter reading is a must.
If it’s lower than your estimate, you can ask your provider to lower your monthly direct debit to a more suitable amount.
How do you take a meter reading?
The way you take a meter reading depends on what type of meter you have. For example if it’s for electric or gas it will vary.
Once you’ve taken a reading, you should be able to submit it a number of ways including text message or phone.
You might also be able to submit it online or through your supplier’s app.
It’s best to check with your supplier to see what your options are.
You should also take a picture of your meter reading and submit it to your supplier.
Electricity meters
Electricity meters
If you have a digital electricity or gas meter, you will see a row of six numbers on the display dashboard – five in black and one in red.
You will need to note down the five numbers in black and ignore the red number.
If you are on an Economy 7 or 10 tariff, which means you get cheaper electricity throughout the night, you may see two rows of numbers.
You should take both down.
If you have a traditional dial meter, you will have to read the first five dials from left to right and ignore any red ones.
If the pointer is between two numbers, you will need to write down the lower number. If it’s between nine and zero, write down nine.
If the pointer is directly over a number, write down that number and underline it.
Gas meters
If you have a digital metric meter showing five numbers then a decimal place, you only need to write down the first five number from left to right.
If you have a digital imperial meter your meter will read four black numbers and two red numbers – note down the four black numbers only.
If you have a dial gas meter follow the same steps for those with a dial electricity meter but ignore underlining any figures.
SMART sockets can be controlled remotely, saving you money on your energy bills.
Ovo Energy is also encouraging customers to sign up for its Power Move scheme.
The scheme pays eligible customers £10 a month if they reduce their energy consumption between 4-7pm.
Further details of both schemes, and how to apply, are on Ovo’s website.
A number of water companies offer households free water and energy-saving gadgets like regulated shower heads worth £20.
The Energy Saving Trust says switching to a water-efficient shower head can save a family of four on a water meter £195 a year on bills.
This is because less energy is needed to pump, heat and treat the water. The amount you’ll save depends on your circumstances.
To get hold of the money-saving showerheads, you just have to visit the Save Money Save Water website where you have to fill in a short survey about your water usage.
You are then redirected to your water supplier’s website to claim any freebies.
Not all water companies offer the freebies though, including Anglian, Essex and Suffolk, Northumbrian or Thames Water.
That said, you can sometimes get the freebies by heading direct to their websites.
Free boiler
You could get a new boiler installed for free by your energy company if you are on a low income, or considered vulnerable.
Some suppliers are offering the freebie, although eligibility criteria may vary.
British Gas, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, and Ovo Energy all offer help.
However not many providers let you apply online, so you need to call directly to get started.
Customer service numbers are usually found on firms’ websites.
Free solar panels
Some councils offer low-income households money towards making their home greener.
And some offer grants to install solar panels, which could save you around £6,000.
The Sun spoke to pensioner Gareth Hodgson, who applied for tens of thousands of pounds of free home improvements that have nearly halved his bills.
The help you can get from your local council varies depending on several factors including your personal circumstances.
In most areas, homeowners must have a total income of less than £30,000 to get the help.
Your home must have an EPC rating of D, E, F or G for you to be eligible too.
Household Support Fund
The latest round of Household Support Fund is worth £842million and has been shared between councils in England.
They then decide how to distribute that share, although in most cases help is offered to those on a low income or benefits such as Universal Credit.
In any case, you have to apply through your local council, which you can find by using the Government’s council locator tool online.
Some local authorities are handing out energy vouchers while others are making bank transfers.
Councils have until March 31 to allocate their share of the latest fund so you will want to act quickly.
For example, people who live in the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council area can get free cash to help towards energy and water bills as well as other costs.
While residents in in Chorley are being offered help with short-term living costs such as food, energy and essential items.
How much you get depends on your circumstances and is being distributed in “small amounts”.
Cold weather payment
Cold weather payments are made to hard-up households when there is a seven-day period of sub zero temperatures.
The money is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions and designed to cover extra costs incurred by colder weather.
The scheme runs between November 1 and March 31, although eligible households don’t have to apply as money is paid automatically if you qualify.
However, it’s worth taking note of who qualifies, which is anyone on one of the following benefits:
You may have to meet other criteria too, including:
- Having a disability or be in receipt of pension premium
- Having a child who is disabled
- Receiving child tax credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
- Having a severe or enhanced disability premium
- Being in receipt of a limited capability for work amount
- Having a child under five living with you
You can read more about eligibility on the Government’s website.
Winter heating payment
The winter heating payment replaces the cold weather payment for households in Scotland and is worth £55.05.
To get the payment you must get one of the following benefits during the qualifying week:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Related Employment Support Allowance
- Support for Mortgage Interest
This year’s qualifying week was November 6 to November 12, 2023.
You also have to meet one other specific requirement of your qualifying benefits.
For example, you will receive a payment if you are on income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support and have any of the following:
- a disability premium
- a severe disability premium
- a pensioner premium
- the disability element of Child Tax Credit
- a child under five
The major difference between the winter heating payment and cold weather payment is that you receive the £55.05 regardless of the weather.
All payments should be made by the end of March.
Warm home discount
Millions of households in England, Wales and Scotland can get £150 deducted off their energy bills through the warm home discount.
This winter the money will be taken off your bill between late October 2023 and March this year.
You’ll need to receive one or more of the following benefits to qualify:
While around three million people in total qualify for the Warm Home Discount this winter, there are thousands who need to apply for the payment.
Households who are eligible for the scheme should have received a letter between October last year and early January this year.
The letters tell you if you are eligible for the scheme or whether you qualify but need to give more information.
You may also have to apply by February 29 if you think you qualify for the Warm Home Discount and haven’t yet received a letter.
The Government has a tool on its website which you can use to find out if you qualify.
Park home residents, who can apply for the Park Homes Warm Home Discount have to do so by February 29.
These households need to apply on the Charis Grants website.
Scottish households on the Guarantee element of Pension Credit should get the Warm Home Discount automatically.
Everyone else who qualifies has to apply via their energy supplier.
In this case, the February 29 deadline does not apply, but you should still apply as soon as possible to avoid missing a payment.
Fuel vouchers and emergency credit
If you’re on a prepayment meter you might be able to get a one-off voucher to top up.
It comes via the Fuel Bank Foundation charity, and is offered through a range of organisations like food banks and Citizens Advice.
The best place to start to find somewhere which can offer you a fuel voucher is by asking your local council.
The voucher should help you cover around two weeks’ worth of electricity use.
Some energy companies may also issue their own vouchers, so ask your supplier directly.
Households can usually get what’s known as “emergency credit” if they have no money left on their meter.
But the credit has to be paid back eventually.
For example, Scottish Power offers an emergency credit option for prepayment meter customers.
The Sun has listed six energy suppliers giving out free bill credit worth up to £250 to millions of customers.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money@the-sun.co.uk.
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