1. Table of contents

Fuel Bank Foundation

A £49 Fuel Bank voucher is available.

  • vouchers are usually issued within 24 hours and are valid for 30 days.
  • vouchers are redeemed at PayPoint outlets, with the exception of British/Scottish Gas where the vouchers are Post Office and must be redeemed at a Post Office.

Who's eligible

  • Prepayment meter customers for gas/electricity
  • If you are in fuel crisis

How to access

You can be referred through the Community Advice Services team and Advice and Support Hub staff.


Fuel Bank Heat Fund

This fund is available for financially vulnerable households who live off the gas grid and rely on bulk fuel deliveries. The Heat Fund ensures people are not left without energy for basics like heating or hot water.

Who's eligible

  • Your household must rely on coal, wood, heating oil, or LPG as primary source of heat.
  • Your household must be off the gas grid and not use electricity as the primary source of heating.
  • You must be located in Scotland.
  • You are EITHER living without heat because you are unable to afford to purchase fuel, OR are imminently at risk of living without heat because you are unable to afford to purchase bulk fuel (imminently means within 7 days).

You can be referred through the Community Advice Services team and Advice and Support Hub staff.


Home Energy Scotland

Home Energy Scotland offer free and impartial energy advice, information on grants and loans, tariff advice and income maximisation.

Home Energy Scotland

For more information, visit Home Energy Scotland.


Home Heating Support Fund

Payments made directly to energy supplier or energy vouchers sent directly to individual customers.

  • For those facing significant financial hardship regardless of the fuel or payment method used.

Who's eligible

  • You must have received energy and/or debt advice to be eligible.

Those already disconnected from an energy source are not eligible for this fund.

How to access

Our Community Advice Services team can apply on your behalf or you can apply yourself at homeheatingadvice.scot.

Or contact Advice Direct Scotland:

Advice Direct Scotland

Winter Fuel Payment

This year will be combined with Pensioner Cost of Living Payment - £250 to £600 available.

Payments will be made in November or December 2023.

Ensure your address is correct with HMRC. You should get a letter in October or November telling you how much Winter Fuel Payment you'll get, if you're eligible.

Who's eligible

  • If you were born on or before 26 September 1956.
  • You lived in the UK for at least one day during the week 19 - 25 September 2022 (this is called the 'qualifying week').

How to access

Most get it automatically.

But you must apply if:

  • you've not had it before
  • you do not get benefits or a State Pension or if you've deferred your State Pension
  • you get Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit, Universal Credit or an Adult Disability Payment from the Scottish Government

Complete the Winter Fuel Payment claim form to apply.


Scottish Welfare Fund - Crisis Grant

To meet an urgent need that poses an immediate and substantial risk to health and safety eg food and energy supply (electricity or gas).

Who's eligible

You can apply if you:

  • live in the Falkirk Council area
  • are legally resident in the UK
  • aged 16 and over
  • are on a qualifying benefit eg Income Support or low income
  • do not have any access to other appropriate sources of financial support
  • are subject to a sanction or disallowance by the DWP and have had your benefit reduced as a result (you may be considered for a Crisis Grant until you can arrange a hardship payment).

How to access

Apply using the Scottish Welfare fund online form.

Or visit one of our Advice and Support Hubs.

The Scottish Welfare Fund Helpline is open 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday (except bank holidays):

Scottish Welfare Fund Helpline

Child Winter Heating Assistance

A benefit from the Scottish Government to help disabled children and young people and their families with increased heating costs over winter.

This benefit is paid once a year. The payment for winter 2023-2024 is £235.70.

Who's eligible

  • Young people aged 19 or younger and get one of the following:
    • the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment
    • the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance for children
    • the enhanced daily living rate of Personal Independence Payment

How to access

Those eligible are automatically paid.

Usually paid from end of November onwards.


Cost of Living Payment

  • £301 – paid between 25 April 2023 and 17 May 2023 for most people
  • £300 – Autumn 2023
  • £299 – Spring 2024

Who's eligible

You must be in receipt of any of the following:

  • Universal Credit
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Income Support
  • Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Working Tax Credit

How to access

You will be paid this automatically.

Payment will be made in the same way as other benefits.


Warmer Homes Scotland

Referrals for Warmer Homes Scotland have been paused from Friday 31 March 2023 and will be re-starting in October 2023.

Applications received by Home Energy Scotland from Saturday 1 April 2023 onwards have been assessed under the new eligibility criteria and referrals are being held onto until Monday 2 October 2023.

Home Energy Scotland

E.ON Next – Winter Affordability Support Scheme

The new Winter Affordability Support Scheme opened on 01 October 2023 and is available to those who are on low income or have medical needs.

Eligibility:

  • You must have been an E.ON Next customer by 25 September 2023, be on a standard variable tariff (SVT) and have a smart meter or agree to have one installed.
  • You must have a household income of £19,000 or less, or a medical issue and a household income of £31,000 or less. The list of medical dependencies that qualify include a nebuliser or apnoea monitor, heart-lung or lung ventilator, dialysis, feeding pump or automated medication, oxygen concentrator or MDE electric showering.

Eligible customers will be offered 25% off the E.ON Next standard tariff rate until March 2024 if you have no energy debt. If you do have energy debt, then you'll be offered 50% off - and if you keep up with your monthly payments for the duration of the scheme, any outstanding debt you have at the end of it will be wiped.

Customers who are eligible should receive an email, letter, phone and text message from E.ON Next, explaining how to sign up. The discount will then be applied to the bill automatically.

Customers who think they are eligible but haven't heard from E.ON Next, can get in contact using the contact details below:


OVO Customer Support Package

OVO Energy is giving away free energy-saving products from 30 October 2023. These include electric throws, self-heating mattress toppers, boiler services and smart energy kits containing LED's and smart sockets.

Applications will open from 16 October 2023 and to apply, people need to be an OVO Energy, Boost or SSE Energy Services customer.

OVO's Customer Support Package: everything you need to know.


Scottish Gas

Scottish Gas is offering £100million worth of help to customers facing financial hardship. The application process opened on 02 October 2023 and eligible customers may be able to get:

  • Grants of up to £1,500 for customers struggling with bills
  • £250 of non-repayable credit for those on prepayment meters
  • Debt write-off for customers who have no reasonable means to repay

This support package is exclusively available to Scottish Gas customers; however, the firm extends further financial assistance to all households, regardless of their supplier, via the British Gas Energy Trust.

The charity offers help such as debt relief grants, small emergency energy grants and access to a network of 45 funded money and energy advice centres.

Customers with smart meters can also sign up to PeakSave Sunday, where electricity consumption between 11-4pm is half price. They are also asking customers to save electricity on certain days and times this winter.


EDF Support

EDF will cut bills for some customers eligible for the Warm Home Discount by £30 this winter. This will be applied as a £30 credit in December 2023.

  • Eligible customers will be contacted directly.

EDF will also be offering customers a "fresh start" this winter by clearing their debt, alongside payment matching top-ups for households on pre-payment meters.

  • Customers eligible for these schemes will be contacted directly.

Octopus Energy – Octo Assist Fund

The Octo Assist Fund offers a number of support options based on circumstances and needs - including access to existing schemes, monetary credits from the fund, or personalised account support, this can include anything from the return of credit to payment holidays. To apply, customers just need to fill out the financial support form online.

It's a simple tool that asks a series of questions about the customer's financial situation. From here, it'll be decided what the most appropriate means to help is and just how they'll be able to support.


E.ON Energy Fund/ E.ON Next Energy Fund

Grants towards bills and replacement appliances.

Who's eligible

  • E.ON customers only

How to access

You can contact E.ON Next Energy Fund or you can be referred through our Debt Advice Team.


OVO Energy Fund

Who's eligible

  • OVO customers only.
  • You have debt to either electricity or gas account of more than £150. The debt has been accumulated over 90 days.
  • You have a gross annual household income of £16,190 or less.
  • You can't re-apply if you've previously applied to the fund in the last 2 calendar years.

How to access

Contact OVO direct:


Scottish Power Hardship Fund

Customers can receive a full or partial award to their arrears and then their Scottish Power account will be credited. Awards will only be paid once the customer commits to a payment arrangement towards their on-going usage.

Who's eligible

  • Scottish Power customers only.

How to access

You can apply for the Scottish Power Hardship Fund or you can be referred through our Debt Advice Team.

To qualify customers must be receiving the following:

  • Income Support
  • Job Seekers Allowance
  • Employment or Support Allowance
  • Pension Credit

Customers can also qualify if they have a low household income or special circumstances for example, income reduction or illness.


British Gas Energy Support Fund

You need to be a British Gas customer to apply for this fund. This fund credits your energy account directly if you are between £250 and £1,500 in energy debt and you meet the following criteria:

  • You live in Scotland.
  • 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 or be a member of that household, the energy account must relate to your main residence.
  • You have electric and/or gas debt between £250 - £1,500; and
  • You must be in or facing fuel poverty.

How to access

Information needed to apply:

  • Proof of all household income.
  • A meter read for your gas and/or electricity account (unless you have a smart meter).

All applicants need to have sought money advice before applying and be able to provide evidence of this – please contact our debt advice team or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Apply at British Gas Energy Trust.


SGN Assisted Connections – Help to Heat

Designed to assist customers with a free or reduced price gas connection who are in receipt of a passport benefit; in fuel poverty or who qualify under a Local Authority Statement of Intent.

To find out if you are eligible, please contact YES Energy Solution:

YES Energy Solution

Priority Services Register

You can apply to the Priority Services Register.

The register is a free support service from those in vulnerable situations. You can apply through your energy provider or network operator.

Ofgem rules mean energy suppliers must offer a payment plan people can afford.


Advice and Support

If you need help to claim benefits, unsure what benefits you may be entitled to or have recently been refused benefits the Welfare Benefits Team can help.

If you're worried about debt or are struggling to manage your money, we can help. The Debt Advice Team can give you help and advice on all types of debt including rent and mortgage arrears, council tax, personal loans, hire purchase agreements, credit cards, store cards, payday loans, catalogues, and fuel bills.

For more information on cost of living support: Benefits & support – Cost of living support.

For guidance on how to save energy at home: Wellbeing – Guidance on domestic energy saving.


Beware of scams

Scammers are targeting people struggling with their energy bills. Energy Advice offer free and practical advice on how to stay safe.