Energy, heating and water support

If you’re struggling to afford your energy bills, you may be able to take advantage benefits and grants offered by the government and energy suppliers.

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Your energy supplier can help if you are having difficulties with your gas and electric bills. You can get other grants and benefits too.  Your options will depend on your situation.

If you're struggling to pay your gas or electricity bills, speak to your energy supplier. They MUST work with you to agree on a payment plan you can afford under Ofgem rules.

There are also lots of national and local benefits and grants available to help you manage your energy costs. You can find out more about these below.

Energy support in Derbyshire

  • Household Support Fund

    The Household Support Fund is available to provide short-term financial support to help those who are struggling to afford the essentials this winter.

    This fund is available until 31 March 2024.

    Who can apply?

    Households facing financial hardship can apply for a grant for help towards their food, energy and essential living costs.

    How to apply for the fund

    To enquire, or apply for support, please call Council on 01629 533399.

    Find out more

    You can find out more about the fund, eligibility and applying on the County Council's website.

  • Free energy support in Derbyshrire

    Warmer Derby & Derbyshire provide free impartial advice and practical help to help people stay warm affordably, including:

    • energy bill advice
    • switching tariffs and suppliers
    • accessing additional support
    • support managing fuel debt

    Find out more

    www.mea.org.uk
    Tel: 0800 677 1332
    Email: wdd@mea.org.uk

National schemes, grants and benefits - from the government

  • Warm Home Discount Scheme: a one-off £150 payment

    The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount off your energy bill.

    If your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity, you may be able to get the discount on your gas bill instead.

    There are two ways to qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme:

    • Core group 1: for people who get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.
    • Core group 2: for people on a low income and who get certain means-tested benefits.

    If you’re in either of these groups and qualify, you should have received a letter telling you how to get the discount.

    Not all suppliers are part of the scheme. Check if yours is at:
    www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

    Find out more about the Warm Home Discount Scheme

  • Winter Fuel Payment : an annual payment

    If you were born before 25 September 1957 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills during winter. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.

    The amount you get includes a ‘Pensioner Cost of Living Payment’. This is between £150 and £300. You’ll get this extra amount in winter 2023 to 2024. This is in addition to any other Cost of Living Payments you get with your benefit or tax credits.

    You usually get a Winter Fuel Payment automatically if you are eligible and you get the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit).

    Find how much you can get, and how to claim on GOV.UK.

  • Cold Weather Payments: when it's zero degrees

    Cold Weather Payments are one-off payments to help you pay for extra heating costs when it’s very cold.

    You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.

    You’ll get £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

    You’ll only be eligible if you already recive one of these benefits:

    • Pension Credit
    • Income Support
    • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
    • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
    • Universal Credit
    • Support for Mortgage Interest

    You do not need to apply. If you’re eligible to get a Cold Weather Payment, you’ll be paid it automatically.

    If you think you should have received a payment, but haven’t you can check on the gov.uk website below for your postcode.

    Find out more about Cold Weather Payments on GOV.UK

National schemes, grants and benefits - from suppliers and charities

  • Support with energy debts: including grants

    If you’re in debt to your energy supplier, you may be able to get a grant from a charitable trust to help pay it off.

    • British Gas Energy Trust - open to anyone
      The British Gas Energy Trust offer grants to clear domestic gas and electricity debts. These grants are open for anyone to apply for, you don't need to be a British Gas customer.

    Other energy companies offer grants specifically for their customers, including:

    When you apply for a grant, you'll be asked to provide detailed information about your financial situation. The Citizens Advice service may be able to help you with your application.

    Some of these organisations may also ask for evidence of what steps you've already taken to try to manage your energy bills, such as speaking to Citizens Advice, or agencies like Turn2Us.

  • Support with broadband bills

    Many providers offer social tariffs to help people struggling to afford broadband or phone services.

    What are social tariffs?

    They are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people receiving Universal Credit, Pension Credit or other benefits. They may also be called ‘essential’ or ‘basic’ broadband.

    They’re delivered in the same way as normal packages, just at a lower price. Find out more at www.ofcom.org.uk/social-tariffs

  • Severn Trent Water customers could save 70% off their water bill

    Severn Trent Water customers may be able to save up to 70% of your water bill by applying to their ‘Big Difference’ scheme.

    Eligibility is based on your household income.

    You can find more information and apply on the Severn Trent Big Difference website

  • Anglian Water customers - support with water bills

    Anglian Water have lots of measures in place for those who might be struggling to pay, from special tariffs to short-term support.

    Reduced tariffs

    Anglian water offer LITE and Extra LITE tariffs to customers on a low disposable income who are struggling to pay their water bill. Based on your individual situation you could get a discount of up to 50% on your water and sewerage charges by switching to one of these tariffs.

    Find out more about these tariffs

    Extra Care Support

    Anglian Water also offer an Extra Care Support service – where they create a personalised plan for you to manage your water payments. This may include switching tariffs, setting up an affordable payment plan, a payment break (breathing space) or support through the Anglian Water Assistance Fund.

    Find out more about Extra Care Support

  • Big Community Switch - free energy switch service

    Big Community Switch is a free scheme that could help you save money on your energy bills.

    What is Big Community Switch?

    Collective energy switching uses the bargaining power of a large group of people to get a competitive offer for you. Big Community Switch is coordinated by iChooser.

    How does it work?

    It’s a free service and open to anyone in the UK.

    • They invite pre-vetted energy suppliers to an energy auction where they compete to offer you the lowest energy tariff.
    • Suppliers bid against each other until they have the lowest bid.
    • You’ll then be sent a personal offer. There’s no obligation to accept the offer
    • If you do accept, and choose to switch energy supplier, they will handle the entire switching process for you.

    The scheme runs continually with auctions several times a year.

    How do you get involved?

    To get involved, you’ll need to sign-up on the Big Community Switch website.

    You’ll need to provide your contact details, the name of your energy supplier and details of your current energy usage and tariff.

    Find out more on the Big Community Switch website

Energy and water support for disabled people

  • Scope – Disability Energy Support

    Scope offers a free energy and water advice service for disabled people.

    Their expert advisers can help and talk you through a wide range of topics related to your energy and water needs, including:

    • managing energy and water debt
    • switching tariffs or supplier
    • energy and water efficiency
    • accessing benefits, grants, and trusts
    • free fuel vouchers (conditions apply)
    • contacting or complaining to your supplier
    • understanding your gas and electricity bills
    • support registering with the Priority Services Register

    Apply online for personalised support:

    www.scope.org.uk/disability-energy-support
    Tel: 0808 801 0828
    Email: Disability.EnergySupport@scope.org.uk

How to use storage heating efficiently

  • How do storage heaters work? 

    Storage heaters are designed to work with a two rate energy tariff, to make use of cheaper, overnight electricity.

    Overnight they absorb and store up energy, which is then released to heat your home the following day.

    It's important to get the settings right, otherwise you could be wasting power and money.

    Each heater in your home works independently, so you'll need to set each of them.

    And, if you find you're running out of heat during the day, you may need to store a bit more. Take a look at how to control your heater and how to use it most cost efficiently below.

  • How do you control storage heaters?

    Each heater has two controls: input and output.

    Controlling the balance between the input and output will determine how much energy they use and how effective they are at heating your home.

    Input:

    • This controls how much energy you want to store up overnight.
    • The numbers on the input control typically run from 1 (low) to 6 (high). The higher the number, the more energy your heater will store overnight, and the more electricity it will use.
    • You’ll need to store up more energy during the winter nights, to make sure you’ve got enough heat to last throughout the next day. So, when it starts to get cold, keep the input dial at somewhere between 4 and 6.
    • In spring and autumn, keep the input dial somewhere between 1 and 3. You won’t need the heating on as much during the day by then, so you don’t need to store up as much energy overnight.

    Output:

    • This controls how much heat you want to give out throughout the day, which will affect how quickly the stored heat is used.
    • During the day, turn the output control up or down to heat your home as and when you need to.
    • The higher you turn it up, the warmer it’ll feel. But by doing that, you’ll also be using up more of your stored energy.
    • By gradually releasing heat throughout the day at a low setting of about 1 or 2, you should have enough to turn it up in the evening, when it’s usually a bit colder.

    Boost:

    Some storage heaters also come with a ‘boost’ setting, to give you an extra blast of heat if you need it. However, this may use more expensive peak-time electricity, rather than the energy stored in your heater from overnight.

    You should adjust the controls throughout the year, to avoid using more energy than you need. Find out more about how to use your heater most cost efficiently below.

  • How do you use storage heaters most efficently?

    Firstly, make sure you're on an Economy 7 or Economy 10 energy tariff.

    This is essential, as it makes it affordable to charge your heaters when the energy is at it's cheapest overnight.

    If you use your heaters effectively, by adjusting the input and output, you could save money.

    Input adjustment advice:

    • Forward plan: check the weather forecast for the next day, so you know how much to charge your heaters.
    • Set the input based on energy needs for next day - the higher the number, the more energy is stored and the more electricity used.
    • Only charge heaters in the rooms you'll use the next day.

    Output adjustment advice:

    • Set the output to the lowest setting at night, normally 0 or 1, to avoid wasting heat
    • If you’ll be out during the day, remember to turn the output control right down before you leave, to avoid using up energy.
    • During the day, gradually turn the output from low to high to high starting at one and move up one dial at a time if you feel cold. This way you can retain heat for the evening.
    • Don't block the heaters with furniture / curtains

    Switch it off:

    • In the summer, or when you don't need any heating, switch the heater off at the wall.

    And, don't forget...turn the output control down before you go to bed and when you go out to save heat and money.

  • Help with your heater

    If you need any help understanding how to use your storage heater please get in touch by email or call on 0300 1234 009.

You may also find the following pages helpful:

If you have any questions, please call us on 0300 1234 009 and ask to speak to a member of the housing management team.