Do you have energy bill arrears that you cannot afford to pay back?

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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 energy saving tips.

Our Grants

The Individual and Families Fund

This fund is open to prepayment meter customers of any energy supplier. 

Eligibility criteria:

  • You live in England, Scotland or Wales.
  • Prepayment customers must owe between £50 – £1,700 in energy debt.
  • British Gas customers – your account balance will be verified with British Gas as the time of assessment and if they exceed the total combined arrears threshold of £1,700, your application will be declined. Please continue to maintain your payment arrangement whilst your application is in progress.
  • 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 £20,328 or someone in the household is registered disabled and receives a disability benefit or receives Carers Allowance or has 3+ children.
  • You are seeking a grant to clear outstanding debt on a current energy account in your name and place of residence. We cannot consider applications for closed accounts (I.e. if you have moved home or changed supplier).
  • 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

The British Gas Energy Support Fund is closed. 

 

Please note, we are an Independent Charity and cannot respond to complaints regarding gas or electricity accounts held with British Gas.

 

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