Energy Support and Advice
Electricity. Gas. Oil. Solar. Whichever energy you use to fuel your home, its getting more expensive. Managing your energy bills is vital to try and keep your outgoings as low as they can be.
Many people across the UK are concerned about future energy prices and any future cost increases, you’re not alone.
Below you’ll find lots of key information that may be of help.
Plus, nudge our free money management tool offers impartial, expert advice 24/7 on budgeting, managing expenses and outgoings and much more – so if you haven’t already, take a look today.
What’s the energy price cap I keep hearing about on the news?
The Energy Price Cap limits what you pay for each unit of gas and electricity that you use, plus it sets a maximum daily standing charge (what you pay to have your home connected to the grid). It’s based largely on wholesale energy prices (those that firms pay) and applies only to providers’ standard and default tariffs, which the vast majority of households are now on. (MSE Oct 2023)
From 1 October 2023, the Price Cap is set at £1,834 a year for a typical dual-fuel household that pays on Direct Debit. This is projected to rise in January 2024 and is reviewed every 3 months.
Remember the price cap is not the maximum bill you could pay, just the maximum charge per unit, so you can still run up huge bills by consuming a lot of energy.
Typically in winter we use more energy by turning on the heating and also turning lights on more and for longer during dark mornings and evenings. See Perennial’s Winter Tips for ways you may be able to reduce some of your usage.
Contact your supplier
Contact your supplier as soon as you can if you are worried about paying your energy bills. Suppliers must work with you to agree on a payment plan you can afford under Ofgem rules. You can ask for:
- A review of your payments and debt repayments.
- Payment breaks or reductions.
- More time to pay.
- Access to hardship fund.
Check schemes and grants
You can find out more about the following help available to you by clicking the links below:
Support from Perennial
If you are having difficulties paying for your energy the Perennial Team are here to help you find a solution. Please do not hesitate to contact us 0800 093 8543 (Now open 9am – 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Open 10am – 4.30pm on Wednesday. Excludes bank holidays).
All advice is free and fully confidential. Perennial’s Debt Advice Service is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Simone’s Story
When garden centre employee Simone* was concerned about her bills going up she gave us a call:
“Money was pretty tight, so the thought of having to somehow manage any additional costs was such a worry for me. I’d received amazing support from Perennial before so I rang them again for some advice. My caseworker was so helpful. It was nice to have someone to talk it through with and reassuring to know that support was available to help me keep up with my payments if I needed it.
Through Perennial’s support, I was relieved to see that although things would be tight, I could just about manage financially.”
*Name changed to protect anonymity
Latest Government Support
Warm Home Discount
You could get £150 off your electricity bill for winter 2023 to 2024 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
If you live in England and Wales you qualify if you either:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income and have high energy costs
If you live in Scotland you qualify if you either:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income in Scotland and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme
The Warm Home Discount scheme is not available in Northern Ireland. Find out about the Affordable Warmth scheme.
You may also be able to get help for energy-saving improvements to your home if you get certain benefits or live in social housing.
Other help
You may be able to get other kinds of Government Cost of Living Support, including:
- up to £900 in 3 separate Cost of Living Payments for households on means-tested benefits
- a £300 pensioner Cost of Living Payment, to be paid alongside the Winter Fuel Payment for 2023 to 2024
- a £150 disability Cost of Living Payment for people who get certain disability benefits
- help from the Household Support Fund from your local council
If you’re struggling to pay your energy bill you can also get:
- advice on support available to help with energy bills from Perennial
- extra support from your energy supplier – for example if you’re disabled or have a long-term health condition
- grants to help pay off debts to your energy supplier
If you cannot afford to top up your prepayment meter
- You can ask for temporary credit from your supplier. You will have to pay this back.
- You may also be able to get a fuel voucher. This is a code given to you in a letter, text message or email which you can use to add credit to your gas card or electricity key.
Perennial’s Support
If you need help or information on accessing support for your energy costs or advice on how to access the Government Schemes, or you’re not sure you are receiving all the welfare benefits you are entitled to or to offer you, we can help.
Please do not hesitate to contact us on 0800 0093 8543 (Now open 9am – 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Open 10am – 4.30pm on Wednesday. Excludes bank holidays).
All advice is free and fully confidential.
Council Support
You may be able to get help with essential costs from your local council. This is sometimes known as ‘The Household Support Fund’ and is in payment until the 31st March 2024.
The Household Support Fund is aimed at anyone who is vulnerable or cannot pay for essentials. You do not have to be getting benefits to get help from your local council.
If you do get benefits, they will not be affected if you also get a payment from a Household Support Fund scheme.
You can find out about the schemes in your area here
Be aware that councils decide how to run their schemes which means there may be differences in:
- eligibility criteria
- if or how you need to apply
- who money is given to
For example, some councils share out money through local charities and community groups and some limit household applications to one per year.
Check with your local council to find out what support is available. You can find out who your local council is here.
Foodbanks
There are a number of different local food banks across the UK which may be able to provide you with some support such as food vouchers.
Perennial’s Support
Our team are here to offer you support and advice if you need help or information on accessing support for your energy costs.
Please do not hesitate to contact us on 0800 0093 8543 (Now open 9am – 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Open 10am – 4.30pm on Wednesday. Excludes bank holidays).
All advice is free and fully confidential.
Energy Supplier Schemes
Many energy companies offer their own schemes to help customers who are struggling with their bills. Some suppliers have charitable trust funds that can make grants to reduce or clear energy debts, a grant does not have to be repaid. You can find details of all the current schemes, and details of how to apply, here
Many charitable trust funds will only make a grant to clear arrears if you can show that your ongoing energy bills are affordable. It is really important to make regular payments to your energy account to cover your usage before making an application, and while it’s being assessed. You will also need to take a meter reading before applying so that your account is billed up to date. They may also ask you for your income and outgoings. If you need help to create your budget it’s useful to use a spending diary. If you work in horticulture and need help with an energy trust fund application, please contact us.
Emergency Fuel Vouchers
If you’re on a pre-payment meter and have no funds to top-up, you should contact your energy supplier right away to see if they are able to give you any additional help. If you work in horticulture and are a Scottish Power pre-payment customer, Perennial may also be able to access emergency fuel vouchers for you. Please contact us for further information.
Oil LPG and Solid Fuel
Alternative Fuel Payment – for those who don’t use mains gas
The Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) will provide a £200 payment to UK households that use alternative fuels for heating instead of mains gas. This includes, for example, heating oil, LPG, coal, and biomass. The details of when this payment will be made will be confirmed shortly.
If you live in a park home, houseboat or off the grid please view this guidance.
The government has confirmed that further funding will be available to provide equivalent support of £400 for energy bills for the 1% of households who are not eligible for the discount.
This includes households without a domestic electricity meter and a direct relationship with an electricity supplier, for example if you live in a park home, houseboat or you live off the grid.
The Bill will also support domestic and non-domestic consumers who are not captured by either scheme, including those using alternative fuels such as heating oil, living in park homes, or tho
Many of the energy saving hints and tips, such as making sure your home is insulated and changing how you use your energy to save money, are aimed at mainstream gas and electricity customers but they also apply if you use LPG, oil, or Solid Fuel.
If you use a domestic oil supply, your supplier may be a member of UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA). Their members have agreed to abide by a number of policy initiatives such as the Cold Weather Priority Initiative. This scheme enables providers to prioritise those over the age of 75, so that they do not go without fuel over the winter months.
The UKIFDA website has other guides and tips for customers with a domestic oil supply. More information can be found here.
There are a number of price comparison sites which cover oil, LPG, and Solid Fuel, some are listed below as examples:
Heating Oil Shop
Boiler Juice
Fuel Tool
LPG Compare
If your home is heated by domestic oil, it can be difficult to budget for large one-off bulk deliveries, but smaller orders can cost more per litre costing you more overall in the long term. You may be able to save money by joining an “oil buying club” or “buying group” which allows people to buy oil together in larger quantities, reducing the price per litre. The UKIFDA website has a handy guide to these groups that you can download here.
Perennial’s Support
Our team is here to offer you support and advice if you need help or information on accessing support for your energy costs. If you do find yourself struggling with your budget due to increased energy costs, or for any other reason, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0800 0093 8543
(Now open 9am – 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Open 10am – 4.30pm on Wednesday. Excludes bank holidays).
All advice is free and fully confidential.
All advice is free and fully confidential.
Energy Saving Tips
Even small changes to the way you use energy can make a big difference to your bills. There are lots of information and top tips online. The Energy Saving Trust provides tips and advice for straightforward ways to save energy and lower your bills. It is good practice to give your supplier regular meter readings to make sure you’re being billed for what you actually use rather than estimates.
Energy Saving Grants
Check energy saving grants for information and support available to make your home more energy efficient and reduce your bills. The Simple Energy Advice website has advice on ways to save energy, an eligibility checker for home energy grants and an energy efficiency calculator.
You may also find out Winter Savings Tips helpful.
