Vitality value cap replace
Ofgem says the vitality value cap for a typical dual-fuel family paying by Direct Debit is £1,862 a yr from 1 July to 30 September 2026.
This isn’t a most complete invoice. The cap limits the unit charges and standing costs suppliers can apply to plain variable tariffs, so the quantity you truly pay nonetheless is determined by how a lot vitality you employ.
Ofgem is because of announce the cap protecting October to December 2026 by 26 August 2026. Test the newest Ofgem price-cap figures earlier than winter.
First, verify whether or not you’re overpaying
Grants can present very important emergency help, however it is usually value checking whether or not your family contracts are costing greater than they should.
Let Nous verify your family payments
Nous is a household-bills assistant that helps you retain observe of contracts akin to vitality, broadband and cellular, seems to be for different offers and can assist with switching.
Test your family payments with Nous
Nous is just not a authorities grant or debt-advice charity. Financial savings usually are not assured and rely in your current suppliers, tariffs, utilization and contract phrases.
Earlier than switching an vitality tariff, examine the complete annual value, tariff size, customer-service preparations and any exit charges. You can even learn MoneyMagpie’s information to saving cash on on a regular basis necessities.
Disaster and Resilience Fund in England
The Family Help Fund led to England on 31 March 2026. It has been changed by the Disaster and Resilience Fund, which is run by native councils.
The brand new fund is meant to assist individuals who can not afford necessities or who’re going through a sudden monetary shock. Relying in your council, assist may embrace meals, vitality, water, important home items, emergency residing bills, housing prices, debt recommendation or longer-term assist.
You don’t all the time have to be claiming advantages
Authorities steerage says the fund is aimed toward susceptible folks and people who can not pay for necessities. You don’t essentially have to obtain advantages, and a cost from the fund shouldn’t have an effect on your advantages.
Discover your council and verify native cost-of-living assist.
Every council units its personal software course of and native priorities. Contact your council even when you obtained assist below the previous Family Help Fund, as chances are you’ll have to make a brand new software.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Eire function separate welfare and emergency-support preparations. Test your council or devolved-government web site for native assist.
Council Tax reductions and reductions
You possibly can be paying an excessive amount of Council Tax with out realising it. Assist could also be out there if:
- You’re the solely grownup counted for Council Tax, which often offers a 25% low cost.
- You reside with people who find themselves disregarded, akin to some full-time college students, carers or apprentices.
- Somebody within the family has a extreme psychological impairment and meets the medical and profit circumstances.
- You’re on a low revenue and qualify to your council’s Council Tax Discount scheme.
- Your property has qualifying amenities or additional area required by a disabled resident.
Extreme psychological impairment guidelines
A qualifying individual could also be disregarded when the council counts the adults in a house. An individual who lives alone and meets the necessities might obtain a full exemption. In a shared family, the discount is determined by who else lives there and whether or not they’re additionally disregarded.
A disabled band discount might permit a family to pay the speed for the band instantly beneath its present band. There may be additionally a discount for qualifying Band A houses. Merely having spare bedrooms is just not sufficient; the area or amenities should be required by a disabled resident.
Apply for Council Tax Discount via GOV.UK. Ask your council whether or not a reduction may be backdated when you certified earlier.
MoneyMagpie additionally explains different types of monetary enable you could possibly declare.
Heat Residence Low cost
The Heat Residence Low cost gives a one-off £150 discount on an eligible family’s electrical energy invoice. It’s a credit score utilized to the invoice slightly than a money cost.
The 2025/26 scheme has closed. GOV.UK says it’ll reopen in October 2026.
England and Wales
Eligible households often embrace folks receiving the Assure Credit score component of Pension Credit score and qualifying low-income households receiving sure means-tested advantages. Many funds are recognized mechanically via authorities and provider information, though some households could also be requested to verify particulars.
Scotland
Individuals receiving the Assure Credit score component of Pension Credit score are usually recognized mechanically. Different low-income prospects may have to use on to a taking part provider, so it’s value contacting your provider promptly when functions open.
The scheme doesn’t function in Northern Eire. All the time verify the present guidelines and taking part suppliers on the official Heat Residence Low cost web page.
For those who use a prepayment meter, your provider ought to clarify how one can redeem or apply the low cost. Maintain any letter or voucher protected and verify its expiry date.
Winter Gasoline Fee
For winter 2026/27, folks born earlier than 28 June 1960 could also be eligible for between £100 and £300 to assist with heating prices in England, Wales and Northern Eire.
The quantity is determined by your age and family circumstances through the qualifying week, which is 21 to 27 September 2026. Most eligible folks ought to obtain a letter in October or November and be paid mechanically in November or December.
The £35,000 revenue rule
In case your particular person complete revenue is above £35,000, HMRC can recuperate the Winter Gasoline Fee via the tax system. Eligible individuals who anticipate to exceed the edge can select to decide out by the related deadline.
Claims for winter 2026/27 open on 21 September 2026 for individuals who want to use. Test the official Winter Gasoline Fee steerage.
What about Scotland?
Individuals residing in Scotland might qualify for the separate Pension Age Winter Heating Fee. Test mygov.scot for present quantities, dates and eligibility.
Chilly Climate Funds
Chilly Climate Funds assist eligible folks in England, Wales and Northern Eire in periods of exceptionally chilly climate.
Beneath the scheme, an eligible individual receives £25 for every seven-day interval when the typical temperature of their space is recorded or forecast to be 0°C or beneath. The 2026/27 season runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Chances are you’ll qualify when you obtain sure advantages, together with Pension Credit score, income-related Employment and Help Allowance, Common Credit score or Help for Mortgage Curiosity. Additional circumstances can apply.
Funds needs to be computerized. See the Chilly Climate Fee steerage for England and Wales or Northern Eire steerage.
Scotland makes use of a separate Winter Heating Fee, which isn’t triggered by a specific spell of chilly climate.
Emergency gasoline vouchers
For those who can not afford to prime up a prepayment meter, you could possibly acquire an emergency gasoline voucher via your council, Residents Recommendation, a meals financial institution, a housing affiliation, an energy-support charity or one other native welfare organisation.
A code could also be despatched by textual content, electronic mail or letter and redeemed at a taking part PayPoint, Payzone or Publish Workplace outlet. Chances are you’ll want identification and proof of handle.
Test the expiry date instantly
Some gasoline vouchers should be used inside a brief interval. In case you are almost out of credit score, contact your provider right away and ask about emergency or extra credit score. Ask how and when any credit score will probably be repaid earlier than accepting it.
Vitality debt grants and hardship funds
Some suppliers and charitable trusts provide grants or different help to households which have fallen behind with gasoline or electrical energy payments. Funds and eligibility guidelines can change, however attainable sources embrace:
Some funds require you to be a buyer of the named provider. Chances are you’ll be requested to finish an income-and-expenditure evaluation, get debt recommendation or present you could afford your ongoing utilization as soon as the arrears are cleared.
Ask your provider for all out there choices
- An reasonably priced reimbursement plan
- A brief cost discount or cost break
- A evaluation of your Direct Debit
- A hardship grant or trust-fund software
- Emergency credit score or a gasoline voucher
- Vitality-efficiency assist
By no means conform to repayments that depart you with out sufficient for meals, hire, Council Tax or different necessities.
Cease family contracts quietly turning into costlier
Nous can assist observe payments and renewal dates, analysis alternate options and help with switching eligible family companies.
Ask Nous to verify your payments
Evaluation any proposed swap rigorously, together with the whole value, tariff size, exit charges and repair phrases.
Precedence Companies Register
The Precedence Companies Register is free and gives additional assist for individuals who might need assistance from their vitality provider or electrical energy community operator.
Chances are you’ll qualify due to age, incapacity, long-term sickness, being pregnant, a toddler below 5, communication wants, mental-health wants, momentary medical circumstances or reliance on electrically powered medical tools.
Help might embrace accessible payments, meter-reading help, discover of deliberate interruptions and further assist throughout an influence minimize.
Chances are you’ll have to register individually along with your provider and native community operator. Study extra from Ofgem’s Precedence Companies Register steerage.
Assist bettering your property
Relying in your location, revenue, advantages and property, chances are you’ll qualify for insulation, heating enhancements or different energy-efficiency measures.
Funding can embrace provider obligations, local-authority schemes and devolved-government programmes. Test the present authorities energy-efficiency steerage.
In Northern Eire, verify NI Direct’s energy-saving grants data.
Watch out for “free boiler” and insulation scams
Don’t depend on an unsolicited caller’s declare that everybody qualifies. Test the scheme, installer and funding independently earlier than sharing private data or signing an settlement.
Get a advantages verify
A advantages calculator or adviser may determine entitlement to Pension Credit score, Common Credit score, Council Tax Discount, Attendance Allowance, Private Independence Fee, Carer’s Allowance, housing assist or native welfare help.
Free checks can be found from:
MoneyMagpie’s information to incapacity advantages and entitlements may assist.
Don’t wait till your vitality is disconnected
Contact your provider as quickly as you realise you can’t pay. Clarify your funds, well being wants and whether or not youngsters or susceptible folks reside within the property.
Get free debt recommendation in case you are borrowing to pay vitality payments or lacking different important funds:
MoneyMagpie additionally has steerage on the place to get assist with Common Credit score issues
Continuously requested questions
Is the vitality value cap the utmost I may be charged?
No. It limits unit charges and standing costs on lined tariffs, not the whole quantity of vitality a family can use. A family that makes use of extra vitality pays greater than the standard annual determine.
Does the Family Help Fund nonetheless exist in 2026?
It led to England on 31 March 2026 and was changed by the domestically administered Disaster and Resilience Fund from 1 April 2026.
How a lot is the Heat Residence Low cost?
It’s a one-off £150 credit score on an eligible family’s electrical energy invoice. The scheme is because of reopen in October 2026.
How a lot is the Winter Gasoline Fee for 2026/27?
Eligible folks in England, Wales and Northern Eire might obtain between £100 and £300. The quantity is determined by age and family circumstances.
Can my vitality provider assist if I’m already in debt?
Doubtlessly. Ask about an reasonably priced reimbursement plan, Direct Debit evaluation, hardship grants, emergency credit score and another assist out there for patrons in cost problem.
