The British Gas Energy Support Fund

You need to be a British Gas customer to apply for this fund.

To be considered for a grant you must meet the following criteria. If you cannot tick all of the below, your application will not progress to assessment:

• You are a British Gas credit or pre-payment meter customer living in England, Scotland or Wales;
• You have not received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust within the last 12 months;
• 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 and the energy account must relate to your main residence. If your application is successful, your energy account will be credited with the grant. Please note the British Gas Energy Trust does not award cash payments;
• You have electric and/or gas debt between £250 - £1,500. Your balance will be verified with British Gas as part of the application process and if it exceeds the arrears threshold of £1,500, your application will be declined. The British Gas Energy Trust will only consider clearing arrears in full, partial payments cannot be considered;
• You must be in or facing Fuel Poverty; and
• You have received money advice/ guidance within the last 3 months.

In order to support your application, we will need the following;

• Proof of all household income will be required - if you have family members over 18 within the household, their income will need to be included within the assessment.
• Proof of money advice or money guidance received in the last 3 months (e.g. a letter confirming that advice or guidance has been provided, or a standard financial statement, or Personal Action Plan or equivalent evidence of an income and expenditure budget exercise). If you have not received money advice or guidance in the last 3 months, your application will be declined, so please do not apply. If you have not yet sought money advice, please visit https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/money-troubles/dealing-with-debt/debt-advice-locator to find your nearest money advice or guidance agency.
• A meter read for your gas and/or electric account (unless you have a smart meter). If you are unsure how to read your meter, please read the following guide https://www.nea.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HOW-TO-READ-GAS-AND-ELECTRICITY-METERS.pdf

Please ensure you have these ready to upload when completing your application. You will not be able to submit your application without attaching the documents listed above. Applications submitted with insufficient information will be declined.

Individuals and Families Fund

You do not need to be a British Gas customer to apply for this fund - you can be a British Gas Customer, or a customer from another supplier with arrears of up to £1,500*. However, we want to ensure that grants go to people who cannot access energy debt help from their own provider. The following suppliers - Boost, Eon, Eon Next, EDF, Scottish Power, Ovo, Octopus, SSE and Utilita (Credit Customers only) have their own funds to support their customers, so if you are a customer of one of these companies please apply to them directly.

* For British Gas customers, your balance will be verified with British Gas as part of the application process and if it exceeds the arrears threshold of £1,500, your application will be declined.

To be considered for a grant you must meet the following criteria. If you cannot tick all boxes your application will not progress to assessment -

• You are a prepayment meter customer living in England, Scotland or Wales;
• You have not received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust within the last 2 years;
• 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 and the energy account must relate to your main residence. If your application is successful, your energy account will be credited with the grant. Please note the British Gas Energy Trust does not award cash payments;
• You have electric and/or gas debt. The British Gas Energy Trust will only consider clearing arrears in full, partial payments cannot be considered;
• You must be in or facing Fuel Poverty; and
• You have received money advice/ guidance within the last 3 months.

In order to support your application, we will need the following;

• Proof of all household income.
• Proof of money advice or money guidance received in the last 3 months (e.g. a letter confirming that advice or guidance has been provided, or a standard financial statement, or Personal Action Plan or equivalent evidence of an income and expenditure budget exercise). If you have not received money advice or guidance in the last 3 months, your application will be declined, so please do not apply. If you have not yet sought money advice, please visit https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/money-troubles/dealing-with-debt/debt-advice-locator to find your nearest money advice or guidance agency.
• British Gas customers - a meter read for your gas and/or electric account (unless you have a smart meter). If you are unsure how to read your meter, please read the following guide https://www.nea.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HOW-TO-READ-GAS-AND-ELECTRICITY-METERS.pdf
• Other energy supplier customers - a bill based on actual readings dated within 4 weeks, showing your name, account number or supply address OR an email from your energy supplier dated within four weeks that confirms your name, account number, supply address, outstanding balance and confirmation the balance is based on actual readings. If you are unsure whether your bill is based on actual readings, please click on the following link for a guide on how to read your bill.
  • Electric bill https://www.nea.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/How-to-read-your-electricity-bill-2019.pdf
  • Gas bill https://rcab.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/NEA-how-to-read-your-gas-bill.pdf

Please ensure you have these ready to upload when completing your application. You will not be able to submit your application without attaching the documents listed above. Applications submitted with insufficient information will be declined.

Further information regarding how to stay updated with the progress of your application, assessment time and more will be available once you have submitted your application.

The British Gas Energy Trust reserves the right to close the application portal with little or no notice once funds have been expended.