British Gas customers can receive up to £1,700 per household through the Energy Support Grant, part of the British Gas Energy Trust, which became available on Thursday, October 1. The payment is applied directly to energy accounts and is open to both prepayment meter and credit account customers, including those in Birmingham.
Eligibility and Application Process
The grant is not limited to British Gas customers alone; it also accepts applications from customers of other suppliers. If you are with OVO, Boost, E.ON Next, EDF, ScottishPower, Octopus, Shell Energy, SSE, Utility Warehouse, or Sainsbury’s Energy, you must first apply to your supplier’s support fund. Only if you have been recently declined by that fund can you apply to the British Gas Energy Trust, and evidence of the decline will be required.
For prepayment meter customers, the outstanding energy debt must be between £50 and £1,700. Credit account customers must owe between £100 and £1,700. Applicants must not have received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust within the last two years.
Additional Requirements and Income Criteria
Applicants must have received money advice or guidance within the last six months. If you have not, you can use the trusted partner’s self-help Benefit Calculator tool, which is available as part of the application. You must provide the full money advice document, as screenshots or partial pages cannot be accepted.
The grant is for clearing outstanding debt on a current energy account in your name and at your place of residence. Applications for closed accounts, such as after moving home or changing supplier, will not be considered.
Household income must be less than £25,000, or alternatively, someone in the household should meet certain criteria. These criteria include being registered disabled and receiving a disability benefit, receiving Carers Allowance, having three or more children, being a single household occupant, being a lone parent household with less than three children, or being in or facing fuel poverty.
How to Apply and Impact
Customers are urged to check their eligibility and apply for the grant if they are struggling with energy bills or debt. The payment, which was available from Thursday, October 1, provides a significant financial boost to eligible households, potentially easing the burden of energy costs in Birmingham and across the UK.
