Paying for heating
This content applies to England only.
Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. This page applies to England only. Get advice relating to Scotland
Keeping warm in winter is an essential part of staying well, but it can be very expensive. This page looks at ways you can reduce the amount you spend on heating during the cold winter months.
If you are elderly, disabled or on a low income, you may be able to get some help to pay your bills.
Contact Home Heat Helpline
Home Heat Helpline is a free national service run by gas and electricity suppliers to help customers who are considered to be vulnerable. The helpline can help you to access the assistance you may be eligible for, particularly if you:
- are of pensionable age
- have young children and are on a low income, or
- are disabled or have a long-term health condition.
The helpline may be able to help you by:
- helping you to identify ways to save energy
- explaining how you may be able to get reduced tariffs (more affordable prices for gas and electricity)
- helping you to apply for grants for free home insulation
- putting you on the Priority Service Register for customers with disabilities and special needs – the services on offer include: bills
in Braille, large print and audio formats, getting meters moved to more convenient location, gas appliance safety checks and safety passwords so you know when a caller is from the gas or electricity company - helping you to agree a flexible payment option if you have fallen behind on your bills
- carrying out a benefits entitlement check to see if you’re getting everything you are entitled to
- providing a disconnection safety net which means that you will not be cut off even if you are unable to pay your bill.
Home Heat Helpline has an online enquiry form which you can use to provide basic details of your situation and to ask them to call you back. Their website provides lots of useful information, or you can download their Little book of energy for advice and tips on reducing your heating costs.
Understand your landlord's responsibilities
If you rent your home, remember that repairs to the heating system are your landlord’s responsibility. Your landlord is also responsible for ensuring that any appliances that they have supplied meet safety requirements.
It is also a legal requirement for all landlords to provide an energy performance certificate (EPC) when you take out a new tenancy. This will help you to get an idea of what the energy costs might be when deciding between potential properties to rent.
The EPC will give the property a rating on a scale of A to G - the most energy efficient properties are in band A and should therefore have lower fuel costs.
Landlords who don't provide this certificate can be prosecuted or fined.
Make the most of the energy you use
Heating your home can be expensive. However, there are things you can do (for little or no cost) to keep warmth in, cold out and fuel bills down:
- keep all doors closed - both inside and outside
- draw the curtains as soon as it starts to get dark to keep in warmth
- install draught excluders and seal up any gaps (although be careful not to seal up any ventilation flues or air bricks)
- line radiators on external walls with tin foil to reflect the warmth into the room
- don't cover radiators with curtains or washing
- be sure that you understand exactly how your heating control and thermostat work - if they are faulty or too complicated to use, it may be worth getting a new one installed
- set the timer on your heating to switch on and off at the right times (eg on before you get up and off when you go to bed)
- if you can’t heat all your rooms make sure you keep your living room warm throughout the day and heat your bedroom before going to bed
- in very cold weather, rather than turn the thermostat up, set the heating to come on earlier so you won’t be cold while you wait for your home to heat up
- only boil the water you need rather than filling the kettle completely
- let food cool to room temperature before you put it in the fridge or freezer
- don’t leave appliances on stand-by as they still use electricity - switch them off properly using the ‘off’ switch.
Shop around for the best deals
With fuel bills rising all the time, many people need to make savings on their outgoings. One way of doing this is by shopping around for a cheaper deal.
Websites such as USwitch or Saveonyourbills.co.uk allow you to compare prices. You can find out more about changing suppliers from Consumer Focus.
You may also be able to:
- switch to Direct Debits and paperless billing.
- take regular meter readings.
Use electric blankets and heaters carefully
These appliances can make a real difference but must be used with caution:
- if you use a fire or heater in your bedroom during winter, open the window or door a little at night for ventilation
- make sure that portable heaters are not positioned too close to the bed or to flammable items such as curtains
- an electric blanket or a hot water bottle will help you keep warm but they should never be used together as you could electrocute yourself
- if you have an electric blanket, check what type it is – some are designed only to warm the bed before you get in and should be switched off before you get into bed
- if you use an electric blanket make sure it is safe to use by getting it tested every three years. The Fire Service and Age Concern can give you safety information for your electric blanket - a qualified electrician should test the blanket for you - your local Trading Standards Office may also check your blanket for free.
Please see our section on home safety for more tips like these.
Get help to pay your heating bills
Depending on your circumstances, there may be ways in which you can get help to pay expensive heating bills.
Winter fuel payments
If you are aged 60 or over, you are entitled to an annual winter fuel payment, to help with the costs of keeping warm during winter. This is tax-free and is normally paid from November every year.
If you are getting the state retirement pension or any welfare benefits, you should be sent these payments automatically. If you are not getting any benefits, or you are only receiving housing benefit, council tax benefit or child benefit, you will have to claim your first winter fuel payment – after that, they should come automatically.
You can find out more about the winter fuel payment and what to do if you haven't received one at the Pension Service's winter fuel payments website. Alternatively, you can call the winter fuel payment helpline 08459 15 15 15.
Cold weather payments
Some people who receive income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, employment support allowance or pension credit are entitled to a cold weather payment from the social fund. These payments are made if the weather becomes exceptionally cold (0° or below) for seven consecutive days or more.
Payments should be made automatically with your benefits and will not affect other benefits you may be getting. You can find out if you qualify from Jobcentre Plus, or on Directgov.
Help from the social fund
Some people may be eligible to apply for a budgeting loan, crisis loan or community care grant from the social fund. These can be used to:
- buy essential household goods such as a heater
- buy coal, oil or bottled gas
- install a pre-payment meter to help control your fuel consumption (although bear in mind that these often increase the price you pay per unit of gas or electricity so may not be in your best interests)
- have your electricity or gas reconnected if you have been cut off.
British Gas Energy Trust
If you are a British Gas customer, you may be able to apply for a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust. Grants can be used to help with arrears of energy charges as well as other essential household bills and costs.
Other utility companies may well provide hardship schemes to help people on low incomes who are struggling to pay their bills. Contact your supplier to find out more. The sooner you talk to them the better.
The service includes:
- 20 % discount on energy prices
- free energy efficiency advice measures to help you save energy, such as by providing low-energy light bulbs.
Get help to make your home more energy efficient
You may be able to get a grant or other assistance towards insulating your home and making it more energy efficient.
Warm Front grants
Warm Front is a Government-funded initiative that provides a package of home insulation and heating improvements for people who are on benefits and either own their own homes or rent from a private landlord. Eligible households may be eligible for a grant of up to £3,500.
Warm Front grants can be used to install a wide range of insulation, draught proofing and/or heating improvements depending on your needs and the property you live in.
You won't have to pay anything if the work doesn't cost more than the grant. In some cases you might have to pay towards the work but wherever possible, the scheme will try to cover these costs.
Even if you don't qualify for a Warm Front grant, you may be able to get a £300 rebate if you either have no central heating system or one that is not working. To be eligible for the £300 rebate, you will also need to be 60 or over, or live with a partner aged 60 or over.
Contact Warm Front for more information about who qualifies and how to apply.
Local council grants
If you are a homeowner or a private tenant, you may be able to apply for an energy efficiency grant or discount from your local council. To qualify you may need to be receiving a state pension and/or claiming certain benefits. This grant can be used to carry out repairs, improvements or adaptations to your home.
To find out if you're entitled to anything, contact your local council or Shelter advice centre - use our directory to find one in your area.
Energy supplier offers
Many energy suppliers provide special offers and discounts that significantly reduce the costs of making energy saving improvements to your home. To find out if you qualify for any of these grants or special offers, use Energy Saving Trust grant finder.
Houseproud scheme
If you are a homeowner and are disabled or aged 60 or over you may be able to get help from the Home Improvement Trust’s Houseproud scheme. The types of assistance you might be eligible for include:
- help with electrical rewiring and to improve the central heating
- practical help and advice on repairs, improvements and adaptations
- help with planning the job, finding reliable trades people and checking completed work
- low-risk loans that are designed for older people and disabled people.
Home Improvement Agencies
If you are a homeowner or tenant renting from a private landlord, Home Improvement Agencies (sometimes known as 'Care and Repair' or 'Staying Put' agencies) can advise you on how to adapt, repair, improve and maintain your home.
Home improvement agencies provide help to vulnerable people to maintain their independence, and to allow them to stay in their own homes. For details of your local Home Improvement Agency, contact Foundations.
Get general help and advice
Keep Warm Keep Well is a national campaign to reduce cold-related illness and deaths during winter. On the website you'll find information and advice about how to stay well in winter by keeping warm and what financial support is available.
If you are elderly, have a disability or are particularly vulnerable for other reasons, you may be able to get a grant or other help from a local voluntary organisation. Use our directory to find an advice centre in your area that may be able to put you in touch with an organisation that can help you.
