THOUSANDS of households can snap up their share of a £5million pot of cash to help cover energy bills.
Utilita Giving, the charity arm of firm Utilita, has unveiled a dedicated fund to help those struggling with the cost of living.
PAUtilita Giving has unveiled a new £5million fund to help households cover energy bills[/caption]
Households, including those not with Utilita, will be able to apply for grants to cover the cost of energy.
The pot is open to those in England, Wales and Scotland.
Helen Boardman, Utilita Giving’s executive director, said: “The affordability crisis being faced by millions of households, who have been plunged below the poverty line, is now so deep-rooted that people cannot see a way out.
“Utilita Giving’s initial £5million fund will provide aid and debt relief to allow households to become self-sufficient once again.”
People in Scotland will be among the first to receive help from the £5million fund.
This includes those who are eligible for the Warm Home Discount but won’t receive it due to differences in how the scheme works outside of England and Wales.
We have approached Utilita Giving to find out who exactly is eligible for help through the £5million fund and how to apply and will update this story once we have heard back.
Either way, it’s worth contacting Utilita Energy’s customer service helpline on 0345 207 2000 for further details.
What other energy bill help is there?
You might be able to get help paying for energy bills via the Household Support Fund (HSF).
The latest round of funding is worth £842million and has been distributed among local authorities.
That means what you are entitled to varies depending on where you live, although in most cases help is offered to those on benefits or a low income.
You should contact your local council to see what help is available. You can find your local authority by using the Government’s online locator tool.
Meanwhile, a number of energy firms are paying customers to cut down their usage through the Demand Flexibility Service (DFS).
The service encourages households to reduce their energy when there is high demand on the network.
So far, 37 suppliers have signed up to the scheme, so it’s likely yours will be. Get in touch with your provider for more information.
Plus, you might be able to get a grant worth up to £1,500 to cover the cost of energy bills.
A number of firms, including British Gas, EDF and Scottish Power, offer them, usually if you’ve fallen into arrears or financial difficulty.
Meanwhile, you might be able to get a cost of living payment to cover your energy bills.
Two, worth £600, have already been made, but a further £299 instalment is yet to be paid.
You qualify for the tax-free cash boost if you receive any of the following benefits:
income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income Support
Pension Credit
Universal Credit
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
If you aren’t claiming any of the above, it’s worth checking if you could.
You can use one of these three benefits calculators to work out what you might be eligible for:
Policy in Practice better off calculator
entitledto benefits calculator
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.