Ahead of Friday’s price cap announcement, British Gas has announced it will donate 10 per cent of its retail profits to help financially vulnerable customers with grants of up to £750 available.
It is hoped this could help thousands of families struggling with soaring bills.
Here’s everything you need to know about how the grants work and how to apply:
What’s new?
British Gas has announced it will contribute 10 per cent of all energy supply profits to customers to help with rising energy bills. Centrica, its owner, said the money will go into the British Gas Energy Support Fund, an existing fund that helps financially vulnerable customers.
The Big Six company, which has made huge profits this year, said thousands of households would get grants of £250 to £750. It said it will continue to donate 10 per cent of its profits for the duration of the energy crisis, backdated to the start of 2022 which will help the poorest consumers this winter.
How much is available?
The initial contribution to the fund will be £12m which is higher than 10 per cent of profits and is also double the previous contribution. Grants are expected to average £750 per household supported and go to thousands of customers most in need.
British Gas said this makes it the biggest voluntary aid package offered by a UK energy supplier to its customer and takes the total amount contributed to the British Gas Energy Support Fund to £18m over the past eight months.
It comes ahead of tomorrow’s price cap announcement which is expected to reach £3,553, according to analysts at Cornwall Insight.
What is the British Gas Energy Support Fund?
The British Gas Energy Support Fund was created in late 2021 with an initial £2m investment in response to the cost-of-living crisis. A further £4m was donated in the first half of 2022. British Gas customers in fuel poverty and with less than £1,000 in savings are eligible to apply for a grant.
Through the fund thousands of British Gas customers have been provided with grants between £250 and £750 to help pay towards their energy bills. The average grant size has been £550.
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Where do you apply?
Applications for grants can be made via British Gas’s Trust website here: https://bget.org.uk/login.php
It opens on Monday 12 September for those who think they will benefit from the scheme.
Who is eligible?
Customers of British Gas as well as customers of other energy suppliers can apply but the majority of the grant budget is set aside for British Gas customers. Applicants must live in England, Wales or Scotland.
The energy supplier says over a third of the recipients are on disability benefit and many are families – 30 per cent are single parents and a quarter have children under five years old. The British Gas Energy Support Fund is administered by the British Gas Energy Trust.
What’s the eligibility criteria?
To be considered for the individuals and families fund, applicants must meet all the following criteria, or their application will not progress to assessment.
- You live in England, Scotland or Wales
- You have not received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust within the past two 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 or be a member of that household. The energy account must relate to your main residence
- You have electric and/or gas debt
- You do not have savings above £1,000
- You have received help from a money advice agency
If applicants have previously applied and been unsuccessful they can re-apply if they’ve had a change in their circumstances.
What supporting documents are needed?
In order to support applications, British Gas requires the following;
- Proof of money advice received in the past 3 months (e.g. a letter confirming the advice provided, a standard financial statement and/or Personal Action Plan). If you haven’t received money advice in the past 3 months please visit https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/money-troubles/dealing-with-debt/debt-advice-locator to find your nearest advice agency before applying
- Proof of all household income
- British Gas customers – a meter reading for your gas and/or electric account (unless you have a smart meter)
- Other energy supplier customers – a bill based on actual readings dated within four 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.
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2022-08-25 11:23:00Z
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