Where to turn for financial support during these difficult times

Household bills are increasing every day for Scottish households. The cost of living and the energy crisis are the major factors in seeing your bills cost more each month.

While we can provide you with personalised energy saving advice, Home Energy Scotland doesn’t directly provide financial support of fuel vouchers or crisis funds.

If you’re struggling to pay your bills, help is available. To access this, it’s vital to contact the right source of support for what you need. Read on for more information, including links to some organisations and funding that can help you manage your money, provide financial support and check if you’re eligible for benefits. 

We’re regularly updating this list so do check back regularly.

A note on the price cap and guarantee

As of 1 April 2023, the Energy Price Guarantee for typical use by a household will be going up from £2,500 to £3,000. This amount is typical of a household paying by direct debit and is based on unit prices of electricity.

This is not a maximum annual cost. In practice, your annual cost could be higher than this. This tool on the Money Saving Expert website can help you work out how much your bills will be.

The Energy Price Guarantee increase can cause some confusion, because of the Energy Price Cap falling.

The Energy Price Cap is the amount a supplier can charge a household for typical use, and this is set to fall from £4,279 to £3,280 in April. However, this will remain above the guarantee set by the UK Government to protect households from higher prices. This means the Energy Price Guarantee will continue to determine the typical direct debit bill for a household from April.

Financial support

Energy Bills Support Scheme

All households with a domestic electricity connection in Great Britain are eligible for a discount from their bills. This £400 discount for all households, paid in monthly payments over the winter, will end in March 2023. There’s no need to contact your energy supplier to arrange this.

For pre-payment meters, the discount will be added to the meter or paid via a voucher. Your energy supplier will need your correct details to ensure you receive this. Find out more on the UK Government’s website.

There are also new cost of living payments that have been announced for the year with details still to come. This includes a £900 Cost of Living payment for people on means-tested benefits, paid across three payments over the year. There is also a £150 Disability Payment planned for the summer, and a £300 Pensioner Payment due in the winter.

Child Winter Heating Assistance

This is a payment of £214.10, paid once a year to parents and carers of disabled children and young people under 19 who receive a qualifying benefit. If you’re not receiving this payment but think you may be eligible, contact Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222 Monday – Friday 8am to 6pm or online by webchat.

Find out more on the MyGov public services website.

Warm Home Discount

This £150 payment towards your energy costs is managed by participating energy suppliers. Some people will receive a letter to inform you have this discount. Others may need to apply for this and can do through your energy supplier directly.

If you haven’t received this letter yet and think you might be eligible but need some support to apply, there is a new helpline set up by the government. You can call this on 0800 107 8002 for help to access the discount until 28 February 2023.

Winter Heating Payment

If you’re currently eligible for Cold Weather Payment from DWP and your circumstances have not changed, you’ll be eligible for a Winter Heating Payment.

Find out more on the MyGov public services website.

Winter Fuel Payment

If you were born on or before 26 September 1956 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills. You will get your Winter Fuel Payment automatically.

Find out more on the UK Government’s website.

The Council Tax Rebate scheme

If eligible, you’ll receive a £150 payment by 30 September 2022 to help with the rising cost of living. Your local council will generally make the payment directly to your bank account.

Section 12 payments

If you are a vulnerable person aged 18 or over, you can get help to cover emergencies and debts. This assistance can come in the form of cash payments or vouchers. Contact your council for more information.

Prepayment meter support

Help is available if you use a prepayment meter. Support depends on your personal circumstances. Contact your energy supplier to get precise information.

Further support from energy suppliers

You can contact your energy supplier if you are worried about paying your bills. Your supplier must consider your own situation and agree on a payment plan based on your ability to pay.

Information for households paying landlords directly, using LPG or heating oil and those in park homes

The UK Government is still to announce the details of payments to be made to park home residents, care home residents and tenants whose landlords pay for their energy via a commercial contract. So far, they have said this will be a £400 support scheme, and you will be able to apply for this online in January 2023.

The UK Government have also committed an additional £200 to households who are not able to receive support for their heating costs through the Energy Price Guarantee. This Alternative Fuel Payment is available if you live in an area that’s not served by the gas grid and to compensate for the rising costs of alternative fuels such as heating oil.

New ECO+ Scheme

A new fund for warm home improvements has been announced with support which will run from April 2023. This will be available to households in Scotland and aims to offer various kinds of insulation to make homes more energy efficient and bring down people’s energy bills by helping them to keep their homes warm.

ECO+ may help if you are struggling to pay your bills and will be open to lower income households, with a focus on homes which are not very energy efficient. You can contact your supplier or local council to find out if they are participating.

Demand Flexibility Service

Households with a smart meter may be able to sign up to the Demand Flexibility Service if your supplier is taking part.

To use this service, your supplier has to access your smart meter data during test events. These are times when they will pay you to reduce usage when other people are using it more, such as early in the evening. This could save you around £100 over the winter.

You can ask your supplier about this, and they might contact you if you are eligible. The service will run until March 2023. You can find the updated list of suppliers taking part here.

Emergency advice and support

Advice Direct Scotland

Advice Direct Scotland provides funding and support. This includes the Home Heating Support Fund which offers households financial relief to help with significant financial hardship, no matter the fuel or payment method. Call them on 0808 800 9060 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, or apply via the Home Heating Advice website.

They also offer help for anyone who needs to resolve an issue with their energy supplier. Find out more by calling 0808 196 8660 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, or via the Energy Advice Scotland website.

Emergency Power Cut Helpline

If your neighbourhood has had a power cut, your local network operator can give you advice. Call 105 or visit the Emergency Power Cut website for more information.

Priority Services Register

The Priority Services Register is a free service which provides extra help to those who need it the most. This could be during power cuts or when there’s an interruption to your electricity, gas or water supply.

Find out more on the Priority Services Register website.

Citizens Advice Scotland

Citizens Advice Scotland can help with queries about employment, housing, debt, benefits, and consumer issues like energy bills and many other topics. Call their helpline on 0800 028 1456 from Monday – Thursday, 9am to 3pm and Friday, 9am to 12 noon. You can also visit their website.

Debt and welfare support

Citizens Advice Money Talk Team

Along with general advice, Citizens Advice Scotland also have a dedicated debt and money advice team. Call 0800 085 7145 or visit their website.

Age Scotland

Age Scotland provides advice for older people on finances, welfare and benefits rights, health and wellbeing, home and care, travel and lifestyle, and work and learning. Call them on 0845 833 0800 Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm or visit their website.

Disability Information Scotland

Disability Information Scotland is a helpline and website that provides reliable and accessible information for people living with a disability. Call them on 0300 323 9961 Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm or visit their website.

National Debtline

National Debtline gives free and independent debt advice over the phone and online. Call them on 0808 808 4000, Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 1pm, or visit their website.

Scottish Welfare Fund

The Scottish Welfare Fund helps families and people who are on low incomes. They can provide information on different grants like a Crisis Grant, Self-Isolation Support Grant or Community Care Grant.

Find out more on the MyGov public services website.

Help with benefits

You can check to see what benefits you could be entitled to by completing an online benefits checker.

Young Scot

Young Scot has a list of what benefits are available to younger people and how to claim them.

Find out more on Young Scot’s website.

Turn2Us

Turn2Us helps people access welfare benefits and other financial help. Call them on 0808 802 2000 or visit their website for more information.

Fuel vouchers

If you’re struggling to top up your pre-payment meter, you can contact your local council or foodbank for a fuel voucher.

Find out which council area you’re in on the MyGov website.

Scottish Government’s Cost of Living Crisis website

The Scottish Government has set up this Cost of Living Crisis website that will signpost you to various ways to get help, for everything from energy bills, benefits and debts to support for families and people with disabilities.

Home Energy Scotland

We’re on hand to help with advice on making your home warmer and funding options that may be available to you. Call us on 0808 808 2282 between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday, and Saturdays 9am to 5pm, or use our contact form to get in touch via email.

Useful links

• Energy saving tips: You might be surprised by how much money you can save by making simple changes to cut your energy use at home.

• Funding finder: You can use our handy online tool to search for funding and support – give it a try and see what help you can get.