Energy bills: Check if you can get a grant of up to £1,500 from British Gas | Personal Finance | Finance
The British Gas Energy Support Fund is run by the charity British Gas Energy Trust and it usually operates two very similar schemes to help those struggling to pay their energy bills. The energy supplier’s two schemes, one which is for British Gas customers and one for non-customers, both supply help to people living in England, Scotland or Wales. Both schemes are designed to reduce existing fuel debts of over £250.
The scheme for non-customers, which is known as the “Individuals and families fund” opened for applications on July 1, 2022.
This particular fund offers a payment of between £250 and £1,500 to those with electric or gas debt.
The scheme for its customers originally had closed for applications on July 8 this year but it has now reopened.
To be eligible for the fund it needs to be obvious that a person is in need of financial help.
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Applicants must have had help from a money advice charity in the last three months and must be in energy debt of over £250 in their active account.
The help could be from debt advisor charities such as the charities Citizens Advice, StepChange or National Debtline.
Previously, applicants must have also had less than £1,000 in their savings.
However, the eligibility criteria for the grant have changed and people are able to have more than £1,000 in their savings and still be eligible.
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British Gas isn’t the only energy company offering grants to its customers to help them clear their energy debts.
Similar support is being offered by other providers however with these schemes, a person will need to be a customer of the firm to apply.
The exact eligibility criteria and support which is offered also vary depending on the provider.
People are breathing a slight sigh of relief when it comes to energy bills as Liz Truss announced her energy plan last week stating that energy bills for typical households will be capped at £2,500, under the energy price guarantee.
The Ofgem price cap is currently at £1,971 and in August the energy regulator announced it was to rise to £3,582 in October.
Ms Truss also confirmed that the £400 reduction to energy bills, which was introduced by former Chancellor Rishi Sunak earlier this year will remain in place as originally planned.
