Get help with energy bills

Money to help pay energy bills

£150 Cost of Living Award (council tax rebate)

The Cost of Living Award was £150 to help pay your bills. 

Most households got this award as credit to their council tax accounts in April 2022.

If you think you should’ve got the award but did not, get in contact with your local council.

Winter Fuel Payment

You could get between £100 and £300 to help pay your energy bills. This is tax free. 

To get the payment, you need to be born on or before 25 September 1956.

Check if you can get the Winter Fuel Payment.

Warm Home Discount

You can get £140 off your electricity bill if you qualify for the Warm Home Discount scheme.

To get it you need to either:

• get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
• be on a low income and meet your energy supplier's criteria 

Check if you can get the Warm Home Discount.

Low Income Winter Heating Assistance

Low Income Winter Heating Assistance is replacing the Cold Weather Payment in Scotland.

If you qualify you could get £50 once a year to help with your energy bills in winter. This starts in February 2023.

You’ll get this payment automatically if you qualify.

You could qualify if you get certain benefits, like:

• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit
• Support for Mortgage Interest

Child Winter Heating Assistance 

Child Winter Heating Assistance is a payment to help disabled children, young people and their families with heating costs in winter.

Social Security Scotland make payments once a year from the end of November.

Check if you qualify for Child Winter Heating Assistance.

Home Heating Support Fund

The Home Heating Support Fund can help you pay your energy bills by:

• sending a payment to your supplier
• giving you an energy voucher that you can use to pay your bills

You can get this help even if you use:

• a pre-payment meter
• a credit meter
• a district heating network
• unregulated fuels

Find out how you can apply for the Home Heating Support Fund.

You can also apply by phoning Advice Direct Scotland free on 0808 800 9060.

Problems with a prepayment meter

You can get help with prepayment meter problems from Citizens Advice Scotland.

This includes help and advice if you:

• cannot afford to top up your prepayment meter
• want to stop your supplier moving you to a prepayment meter
• are ill or disabled making it hard to use or top  up a prepayment meter

Check you’re paying the right amount for your energy bills

If you think you’re paying too much for energy, contact the Money Talk Team. They can make sure you're not paying too much for gas or electricity.

The Money Talk Team offers money advice. They can help you check:

• what benefits you could get
• how to save money on your bills
• what other money you could get

To contact the Money Talk Team, you can:

• call 0800 085 7145

• use the Money Talk Team webchat box
• set up a meeting at your local Citizens Advice Scotland

Home improvements (insulation, draught proofing and heating)

Warmer Homes Scotland 

You can get help with home improvements if you're struggling to heat your home and you get certain benefits. The help you're able to get depends on what benefits you're on.

Help you could get includes:

• wall insulation
• loft insulation
• draught-proofing
• boilers and heating
• renewable and micro-renewable heating system
• solar panels
• domestic battery storage
• air source heat pumps

Visit Warmer Homes Scotland to see if you qualify.

Phone Warmer Homes Scotland free on 0808 808 2282.

You could apply for this help even if you've already used another Scottish Government funded energy efficiency scheme.

Home Energy Scotland can give advice to help make your home more energy efficient.

Home Energy Scotland

If you’re a homeowner, you could get a loan from Home Energy Scotland.

Home Energy Scotland loans:

• are interest free
• can help you lower energy use and carbon footprint

You could use the loan to buy:

• insulation
• heating systems
• solar panels
• heat pumps

Read more about the Home Energy Scotland Loan.

Phone Home Energy Scotland free on 0808 808 2282.

More help with energy costs

You could also get more help from these organisations:

• Advice Direct Scotland offers advice on management your energy account and getting help with your finances
• Age Scotland has guidance on energy and how to reduce your bills
• Citizens Advice Scotland can help you agree a payment plan with your supplier or help you pay off your debts through your benefits
• Energy Saving Trust Scotland helps you save energy and reduce your bills
• Fuel Bank Foundation can help you with money for your pre-payment meter
• Greener Scotland gives advice on how to save energy, reduce waste, travel smarter and eat greener