Cost of Living and welcoming places

These support services can help if you are struggling to pay for your energy and bills.

• British Gas Energy Trust
  Helping families and individuals experiencing hardship who are struggling with energy debts.
• OVO Energy Fund
  Helping people who've fallen behind with their energy payments to OVO.
• E.ON Energy Fund
  Helping the most vulnerable existing or previous customers of E.ON Energy. The Fund can help pay current or final E.ON energy bill arrears to customers living in England, Scotland or Wales.
• EDF customer support fund
  Providing support for those who may be struggling with their household energy bills. From insulation and replacement heating systems to energy-efficient white goods.
• Scottish Power Hardship Fund
  If you're on a lower income and are struggling to pay your energy bills, you may be eligible for the ScottishPower Hardship Fund.
• LEAP
  A free service that is helping people keep warm and reduce their energy bills without costing them any money.
  If you're on a lower income and are struggling to pay your energy bills, you may be eligible for the ScottishPower Hardship Fund.
• Support with heating and insulation (Energy Company Obligation)
  Home energy efficiency measures such as insulation and upgrading inefficient heating for low income and fuel-poor households.
• Stay Switched on Campaign: Let's Help our Communities Keep Safe
  Sign up to your energy supplier's priority service register to see if you're eligible for extra support.
• Northumbrian Water SupportPlus
  If you're on a low income, less than £17,005 per annum, or receive pension credit, Northumbrian Water may be able to reduce your bill by up to 50%.
• Northumbrian Water WaterSure
  If you have a water meter Northumbrian Water will cap your metered charges, if you use more water than average, for reasons that can't be helped, such as a disability.
• Northumbrian Water Financial Support
  Offering a range of ways to help if you are struggling with water bills.
• Energy saving tips to save money
  There are lots of things you can do at home to reduce the amount of energy you use.
• Good Things Foundation: National Databank
  Providing free data to 500,000 people in need, in partnership with Virgin Media O2, Vodafone and Three.
• Help for Households campaign - social tarrifs
  Internet Service Providers (IPS) and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) delivering low-cost broadband and phone service packages for those on low incomes. Use the social tariff toolkit or see the campaign.

Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically

Most households in England, Scotland and Wales get a £400 discount on their energy bills automatically.

In some cases, you do not get the discount automatically, for example if you:

• pay for energy through a landlord, housing manager or site owner
• live in a park home, houseboat or off the electricity grid

If you do not get the discount automatically, you can apply for it on the GOV.UK website:

GOV.UK: Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically

Help if you use alternative fuels for heating

You may be eligible for a £200 Alternative Fuels Payment (AFP) if both the following are true:

• your household is not connected to the mains gas grid
• you use alternative fuels as your main form of heating

This is on top of the £400 from your electricity supplier.

You're eligible for this payment if the main way you heat your home uses:

• tank or bottled gas
• liquid petroleum gas (LPG)
• oil
• wood
• solid fuel

For more information, see

GOV.UK: Help if you use alternative fuels for heating