Struggling with energy debt?
If you’re struggling with debt, it can be difficult to know where to turn.
Support is available from Trust funded money and energy projects, local advice centres or online at www.turn2us.org.uk, www.StepChange.org and on the Citizens Advice national website.
Resources on our website also include the Bounce Back Checklist, Better Off Calculator or energy saving tips.
Our Grants
The Individual and Families Fund
This fund is now open to prepayment meter customers only.
Criteria that must be met:
- The fund is open to British Gas customers and customers of other suppliers
- Customers of OVO, Boost, Eon, Eon Next, EDF, Scottish Power, Octopus, Shell Energy, SSE, Utilita and Utility Warehouse – These suppliers have their own energy support funds, please apply directly to them. You can only apply to the Individuals and Families Fund if you have already applied to your suppliers Fund and have been declined (evidence will be required)
- You are a prepayment meter customer living in England, Scotland or Wales. The fund is closed to credit account customers
- Prepayment customers must owe between £50 – £1,700 in energy debt
- You have not received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust within the last 2 years
- You have a household income of less than £18,723 or someone in the household is registered disabled and receives a disability benefit or receives Carers Allowance or has 3+ children
- You have received help from a money advice agency or used our trusted partner’s self help Benefit Calculator tool within the last 6 months.
If you meet all the above criteria you may be eligible for a Trust grant, click here to apply for a grant.
British Gas Energy Support Fund- closed
The British Gas Energy Support Fund is now closed to all applications.
Please note, we are an Independent Charity and cannot respond to complaints regarding gas or electricity accounts held with British Gas.
- The Trust cannot make part payments towards an energy debt
- You must provide evidence of receiving money guidance/advice: this includes: a letter confirming that advice or guidance has been provided, and that the applicant has completed either a standard financial statement and/or Personal Action Plan, or equivalent evidence of an income and expenditure budget exercise. This must have been received in the last six months, at the time of applying
- Applications take a minimum of four weeks to be assessed, you will be notified via the portal by logging in, or by text/email, if you have been successful
- If successful, the payment to your energy provider can take up to two weeks to show on your energy account. Please note the British Gas Energy Trust does not award cash payments
- Application updates – please regularly login to the application portal to check for application updates. If you have problems logging in, please contact office@bget.org.uk who will respond to your email within five days
- Support with your application – if you are unable to access the online application, please email office@bget.org.uk . Please supply a contact number for our team to get in touch. You should receive a response within five days
- If you are unsuccessful in your application, our money and energy advice page may provide potential sources of assistance and support
- If you have a complaint about the British Gas Energy Trust, please go to: https://britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/complaints-policy/ . Please note we do not enter into correspondence around grant decisions, a grant decision is final
- If you meet the application criteria, The British Gas Energy Trust will only consider clearing arrears in full, partial payments will not be considered
- The British Gas Energy Trust reserves the right to close the application portal with little or no notice once funds have been expended
- We cannot accept applications for closed accounts, (i.e., if you have moved home or changed energy supplier) or accounts where you have paid off the debt with a credit card, or loan from family or friends
- Applicants with energy arrears over £1,700 for the Individuals and Families Fund will not be eligible to apply. If you are able to reduce your arrears, please do reapply
Guidance for Money Advice services applying on behalf of, or supporting an application.
Please note that the British Gas Energy Trust is interested in funding applications where the applicant can show a sustainable position moving forward. We believe that it is rarely in the person’s best interest to seek a debt write-off, without dealing with the underlying problem of a deficit budget, due to this deficit budget’s will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, there is some allowance for marginal exceptions.
Please note where client’s would be eligible for a Bankruptcy or DRO, we expect this to have been explained to the client. Clients who are eligible for a DRO may not be successful in their application, as there may be an alternative route to managing their debt.
The Trust expects that the money advice service who has supported the applicant, has ensured that all advice given and action taken by their agents or appointed representatives a) has regard to the best interests of the applicant b) is appropriate to the individual circumstances of the applicant c) is based on a sufficiently full assessment of the financial circumstances of the applicant.1
1 8.3.2 Consumer Credit Sourcebook, Financial Conduct Authority
