British Gas Energy Support Fund

The British Gas Energy Trust, Energy Support Fund is now open for applications.

The Trust is an independent charity, separate to, but solely funded by British Gas, with the purpose of helping to eliminate the detrimental impact of poverty with a focus on energy debt.

Support is delivered through three programmes: debt relief grants which can help households with up to £2,000 in fuel debt; a small grants programme that provides grants for emergency energy vouchers and payments; and a programme called Supporting Communities at Risk, which operates across England, Scotland and Wales and funds over 45 front-line charities such as local Citizens Advice Charities or independent advice charities and Money Matters.

The Trust has two debt relief grants open – the Energy Support Fund open to British Gas customers with credit and pre-payment meter accounts and the Individuals and Families Fund open for British Gas and non-British Gas credit or pre-payment meter account holders.

Last year* the Trust supported vulnerable energy customers across Britain with £15m in energy debt grants and £2m in emergency fuel vouchers.

Before applying for a grant, please read the below criteria in full.

Essential criteria to apply for an Energy Support Fund grant:

• You must be a British Gas customer
• You must have received help from a money advice or guidance agency
• You live in England, Scotland, or Wales
• You have electric and/or gas debt on your British Gas account, between £250-£2,000
• You have not received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust within the last 12 months
• You’re applying for a grant to clear outstanding debt on a current energy account in your name or be a member of the household; the energy account must relate to your main residence
• You must be in or facing Fuel Poverty

Essential criteria for to apply for an Individual and Families Fund grant: 

• Have energy debt up to £2,000 and have a credit energy account OR use a pre-payment meter in your main residence and the energy account must be in the name of the applicant
• You live in England, Scotland, or Wales
• You have not received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust within the last 2 years
• You must be seeking a grant to clear an outstanding debt on a current or open gas, electricity or dual fuel energy account in your name and the energy account must relate to your main residence. If your application is successful, your energy account will be credited with the grant. Please note the British Gas Energy Trust does not award cash payments
• You have electric and/or gas debt
• You must be in or facing Fuel Poverty
• You have received help from a money advice agency

Suppliers with their own support fund, excluded from I&F: Boost, Eon, Eon Next, EDF, Scottish Power, Ovo, Octopus, SSE and Utilita (credit customers only).

To apply for the Energy Support Fund or to find out more about the Individuals and Families Fund, please check Grants Available.

To find local money and energy advice for you, please visit Fuel and Energy Advice.

*April 2022 – March 2023