The main causes of headaches in winter in the UK include dehydration, cold temperatures, barometric pressure changes, and high electricity bills. Fortunately, the customers of five suppliers will be able to say goodbye to electricity bill headaches thanks to £1,700 winter help. When opportunity presents itself, one should take advantage, especially if it will help you and your family stay warm this winter. Discover who will qualify for the winter benefit scheme’s payments, and which criteria must be met to qualify.
Dropping temperatures and rising electricity bills
While it may only be autumn, temperatures are already dropping due to reports of Arctic air guiding the first major cold snap across the UK. As a result, energy usage and demand will skyrocket and will remain high throughout winter. The higher usage and demand are some of the contributing factors to the seasonally high electricity bills. According to a report by UK Power, additional contributing factors are:
- More time spent indoors, which results in the usage of high-energy-consuming appliances
- An increase in remote working, as usage of office equipment and the need for heating are constant
- Regional price differences due to differences in delivery costs
This winter, UK families could be eligible for a selection of benefit schemes to help them keep the heat on and say goodbye to electricity bill headaches. One scheme in particular will be paying out up to £1,700 to qualifying families. Will yours be included?
Goodbye to electricity bill headaches
Several government benefit schemes provide financial assistance in the winter, such as the Winter Fuel Payments, which will be hitting more pockets this season. However, there are also non-governmental contributors, such as British Gas. British Gas is renowned for its charitable contributions, driven by its independent charity trust, known as the British Gas Energy Trust.
This trust is responsible for several benefit schemes, and families can now claim from its Individual and Families Fund. To claim from the Individual and Families Fund, the following criteria must be met:
- You live in England, Scotland, or Wales
- You haven’t received a grant from the trust within the last two years
- You are a credit account customer with debt between £250 and £1,700
- You received assistance from a money advice agency or used the self-help Benefit Calculator tool within the last six months
- You are a prepayment customer with debt between £50 and £1,700
- Your household income is less than £18,723
- Someone in your household is registered disabled and receives a disability benefit, Carers Allowance, or has more than three children
- You are seeking a grant to settle outstanding debt on a current energy account
The full list of suppliers that will allow you to benefit
The Individual and Families Fund is not exclusive to British Gas customers, and customers of the following suppliers may also be eligible for the maximum amount of £1,700:
- OVO
- E.ON
- E.ON Next
- Scottish Power
- Octopus
- Shell Energy
- EDF
- Utility Warehouse
- SSE
- Utilita
To apply for the British Gas Energy Trust’s Individual and Families Fund, you must create an account on the trust’s website and then use the appropriate link to apply for currently available funds. You may be prompted to provide supporting evidence to determine your eligibility, such as proof of income or a meter read of either gas or electricity account.
Thanks to the UK Government’s energy price cap set by Ofgem, finding ways to save a penny or two on your electricity bills couldn’t be more important. Another scheme will allow families to apply for the most-awaited programme every autumn. The temperatures are dropping, and bills are increasing, but that doesn’t mean you have to struggle to make ends meet this winter. Remember to stay informed about the benefit schemes this season and take advantage when opportunity presents itself.
Disclaimer: Our coverage of events affecting companies is purely informative and descriptive. Under no circumstances does it seek to promote an opinion or create a trend, nor can it be taken as investment advice or a recommendation of any kind.
