Six ways to get energy support and reduce bills after Winter Fuel Payment cuts

UK households are being urged to do all they can to get help with heating costs this winter. With around 10 million people of pension age expected to miss out on the Winter Fuel Payment this year, some could find themselves struggling over the colder months until next spring.

But other help is available for people to claim, energy advisors have said. The update comes as two Scottish pensioners have been given permission to proceed with a legal challenge against the decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment.

The challenge, brought by Peter and Florence Fanning, of Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, will first be brought before a a procedural hearing in December ahead of a full substantive hearing in January. New legislation to end universal entitlement to the payment, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves following Labour's election win, led to the Scottish Government – which was due to start its own separate heating support - being forced to follow suit with the same restrictions imposed.

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Energy expert Andy Kerr, founder at BOXT, said: "To cut government spending, Rachel Reeves made the tough decision to change the eligibility requirements for the Winter Fuel Payments. Alongside this, the Ofgem Price Cap has been confirmed as increasing from £1,568 to £1,717 for the average household from October 1, leaving more people vulnerable to high energy costs. This means people across the country will be worried about how they will deal with higher bills in the colder months.

"Despite energy costs being a major concern since the cost of living crisis began, Pension Credit has a worryingly low uptake, with just 63 per cent of those eligible claiming the benefit. Any vulnerable consumers must check their eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment, as well as other funds and schemes that are available."

He pointed out there are a number of other schemes available for pensioners to look into, including the following:

Household Support Fund

This scheme was set up in 2021 to support vulnerable households with essential costs such as clothing, food, and utilities. The funds are distributed by local councils to eligible residents, with amounts varying by location. Visit your local council's website to find out what help may be available.

Labour's Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has stated that councils are expected to use their allocation from the latest round of cash to help those who are above the threshold for Pension Credit and no longer in line to receive a Winter Fuel Payment. Many authorities are providing cash or vouchers to help people with energy bills, along with food and water costs.

For instance, Coventry City Council is offering help with gas, electricity, oil and water costs with PayPoint top-ups or vouchers up to three times per customer over the six months from October to March - single people or childless couples can get help worth £120, while families can receive £160. Meanwhile, Birmingham City Council is offering hardship grants of £200 from early November to help with food and energy costs, with the payouts handled by Birmingham Voluntary Service Council.

Priority Services Register

The Priority Services Register is a free service provided by energy suppliers and network operators to help people who need additional support. Those who are placed on the register can call 24 hours a day for help in vulnerable situations such as a power cut or if their energy supply is interrupted.

Other help you can get includes advanced notice of scheduled power cuts, an identification and password scheme if someone needs to visit or contact you, nominating someone to receive communications and bills from your supplier, moving your prepayment meter if you can't safely get to it to top up, regular meter reading services, account info and bills in large print or braille, and assistance reconnecting your gas supply if you need it.

You can ask to join your supplier's Priority Services Register if you have reached State Pension age, if you're pregnant or have young children, or if you struggle with speaking or reading English. You can also join if you have a disability or a long-term medical condition, including mental health issues, sensory conditions affecting your sight, hearing or sense of smell, or need to use medical equipment that requires a power supply.

Help is also available if your circumstances have recently changed, such as if you are recovering from an injury, need support after a hospital stay, have been bereaved, or lost your job.

Financial support under Ofgem rules

Ofgem regulations state that your energy firm must offer help with bills. The regulator says people should contact their supplier as soon as possible if they are worried about being able to pay for heating costs.

Ofgem's rules mean gas and electricity providers must work with you to agree on a payment plan you can afford. You can also ask them for a review of your current payments and debt repayments, payment breaks or reductions, more time to pay, access to hardship funds, and advice on how to use less energy. If you cannot agree on a way to pay, follow the Ofgem steps for complaining about your energy supplier.

Energy grant schemes

Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills, with Octopus providing credits of £50, £100 and £200 for pensioners who will miss out on the Winter Fuel Payment. Reach out directly to your supplier to see what support they are offering.

If you can't get a grant from your own supplier, you might be able to get one from the British Gas Energy Trust as these grants are available to anyone - you don't have to be a British Gas customer.

Government's Help For Households

Consumers can find advice and information on keeping bills down in the Government's Help for Households package of measures. These include turning down radiators in rooms you aren’t using to save up to £40 a year, bleeding your radiators to remove air pockets and make them warmer, booking an annual boiler service, reducing your hot water tank temperature and shutting out any draughts by covering or filling gaps that let warm air out and cold air in.

For more details of what's on offer and what you can do to reduce gas and electricity consumption and expenditure over the coming months, visit the Help For Households section on winter heating on the government website.

Council fuel schemes

At least 15 councils are offering their own winter fuel schemes to support pensioners. These include Dorset, Cheshire East, Reading, Bolton, Middlesborough, Salford, Thurrock and Hillingdon. Others include Kingston, Peterborough, Tower Hamlets, North Warwickshire, Basildon, Barnsley and Richmond.

North Warwickshire Borough Council says it will make a direct one-off payment of £100 to those who will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment and are in receipt of Council Tax Support. The measure will reinstate around half of the average Winter Fuel Payment to those missing out in the borough.

Any consumers worried about energy costs who would have been eligible for the Winter Fuel Payments should check with their local council to see what additional support they have available as schemes will vary in different areas.

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