Vitality worth cap replace
Ofgem says the power worth cap for a typical dual-fuel family paying by Direct Debit is £1,862 a 12 months from 1 July to 30 September 2026.
This isn’t a most whole invoice. The cap limits the unit charges and standing fees suppliers can apply to straightforward variable tariffs, so the quantity you truly pay nonetheless relies on how a lot power you employ.
Ofgem is because of announce the cap masking October to December 2026 by 26 August 2026. Examine the newest Ofgem price-cap figures earlier than winter.
First, test 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 test your family payments
Nous is a household-bills assistant that helps you retain observe of contracts equivalent to power, broadband and cell, seems to be for various offers and can assist with switching.
Examine your family payments with Nous
Nous isn’t a authorities grant or debt-advice charity. Financial savings should not assured and rely in your current suppliers, tariffs, utilization and contract phrases.
Earlier than switching an power tariff, examine the total annual price, tariff size, customer-service preparations and any exit charges. It’s also possible to learn MoneyMagpie’s information to saving cash on on a regular basis necessities.
Disaster and Resilience Fund in England
The Family Assist 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 dealing with a sudden monetary shock. Relying in your council, assist may embody meals, power, water, important home items, emergency dwelling bills, housing prices, debt recommendation or longer-term help.
You don’t all the time have to be claiming advantages
Authorities steerage says the fund is geared toward weak folks and those that can not pay for necessities. You don’t essentially must obtain advantages, and a fee from the fund shouldn’t have an effect on your advantages.
Discover your council and test native cost-of-living assist.
Every council units its personal utility course of and native priorities. Contact your council even for those who obtained assist underneath the outdated Family Assist Fund, as you might must make a brand new utility.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Eire function separate welfare and emergency-support preparations. Examine your council or devolved-government web site for native assist.
Council Tax reductions and reductions
You might be paying an excessive amount of Council Tax with out realising it. Assist could also be accessible 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, equivalent to some full-time college students, carers or apprentices.
- Somebody within the family has a extreme psychological impairment and meets the medical and profit situations.
- You might be on a low revenue and qualify on your council’s Council Tax Discount scheme.
- Your private home has qualifying amenities or additional house required by a disabled resident.
Extreme psychological impairment guidelines
A qualifying particular person 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 relies on 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 properties. Merely having spare bedrooms isn’t sufficient; the house or amenities should be required by a disabled resident.
Apply for Council Tax Discount by way of GOV.UK. Ask your council whether or not a reduction might be backdated for those who certified earlier.
MoneyMagpie additionally explains different types of monetary assist you to could possibly declare.
Heat Residence Low cost
The Heat Residence Low cost supplies a one-off £150 discount on an eligible family’s electrical energy invoice. It’s a credit score utilized to the invoice somewhat than a money fee.
The 2025/26 scheme has closed. GOV.UK says it’s going to reopen in October 2026.
England and Wales
Eligible households often embody 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 routinely by way of authorities and provider data, though some households could also be requested to substantiate particulars.
Scotland
Folks receiving the Assure Credit score component of Pension Credit score are usually recognized routinely. Different low-income clients may have to use on to a collaborating provider, so it’s value contacting your provider promptly when purposes open.
The scheme doesn’t function in Northern Eire. All the time test the present guidelines and collaborating suppliers on the official Heat Residence Low cost web page.
For those who use a prepayment meter, your provider ought to clarify the right way to redeem or apply the low cost. Maintain any letter or voucher secure and test its expiry date.
Winter Gas Cost
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 relies on your age and family circumstances in the course of 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 routinely in November or December.
The £35,000 revenue rule
In case your particular person whole revenue is above £35,000, HMRC can get well the Winter Gas Cost by way of 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. Examine the official Winter Gas Cost steerage.
What about Scotland?
Folks dwelling in Scotland might qualify for the separate Pension Age Winter Heating Cost. Examine 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.
Below the scheme, an eligible particular person 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.
You could qualify for those who obtain sure advantages, together with Pension Credit score, income-related Employment and Assist Allowance, Common Credit score or Assist for Mortgage Curiosity. Additional situations can apply.
Funds must be automated. See the Chilly Climate Cost steerage for England and Wales or Northern Eire steerage.
Scotland makes use of a separate Winter Heating Cost, which isn’t triggered by a selected spell of chilly climate.
Emergency gas vouchers
For those who can not afford to prime up a prepayment meter, you could possibly receive an emergency gas voucher by way of 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, e mail or letter and redeemed at a collaborating PayPoint, Payzone or Submit Workplace outlet. You could want identification and proof of handle.
Examine the expiry date instantly
Some gas vouchers should be used inside a brief interval. In case you are practically out of credit score, contact your provider immediately and ask about emergency or extra credit score. Ask how and when any credit score can be repaid earlier than accepting it.
Vitality debt grants and hardship funds
Some suppliers and charitable trusts supply grants or different help to households which have fallen behind with fuel or electrical energy payments. Funds and eligibility guidelines can change, however attainable sources embody:
Some funds require you to be a buyer of the named provider. You could be requested to finish an income-and-expenditure evaluation, get debt recommendation or present which you could afford your ongoing utilization as soon as the arrears are cleared.
Ask your provider for all accessible choices
- An reasonably priced reimbursement plan
- A brief fee discount or fee break
- A overview of your Direct Debit
- A hardship grant or trust-fund utility
- Emergency credit score or a gas voucher
- Vitality-efficiency help
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 dearer
Nous can assist observe payments and renewal dates, analysis options and help with switching eligible family companies.
Ask Nous to test your payments
Evaluate any proposed swap fastidiously, together with the overall price, tariff size, exit charges and repair phrases.
Precedence Providers Register
The Precedence Providers Register is free and supplies additional help for individuals who might need assistance from their power provider or electrical energy community operator.
You could qualify due to age, incapacity, long-term sickness, being pregnant, a baby underneath 5, communication wants, mental-health wants, short-term medical circumstances or reliance on electrically powered medical tools.
Assist might embody accessible payments, meter-reading help, discover of deliberate interruptions and further assist throughout an influence reduce.
You could must register individually together with your provider and native community operator. Be taught extra from Ofgem’s Precedence Providers Register steerage.
Assist bettering your house
Relying in your location, revenue, advantages and property, you might qualify for insulation, heating enhancements or different energy-efficiency measures.
Funding can embody provider obligations, local-authority schemes and devolved-government programmes. Examine the present authorities energy-efficiency steerage.
In Northern Eire, test NI Direct’s energy-saving grants info.
Watch out for “free boiler” and insulation scams
Don’t depend on an unsolicited caller’s declare that everybody qualifies. Examine the scheme, installer and funding independently earlier than sharing private info or signing an settlement.
Get a advantages test
A advantages calculator or adviser may determine entitlement to Pension Credit score, Common Credit score, Council Tax Discount, Attendance Allowance, Private Independence Cost, Carer’s Allowance, housing help or native welfare help.
Free checks can be found from:
MoneyMagpie’s information to incapacity advantages and entitlements may additionally assist.
Don’t wait till your power is disconnected
Contact your provider as quickly as you realise you can’t pay. Clarify your funds, well being wants and whether or not kids or weak folks dwell within the property.
Get free debt recommendation in case you are borrowing to pay power payments or lacking different important funds:
MoneyMagpie additionally has steerage on the place to get assist with Common Credit score issues
Regularly requested questions
Is the power worth cap the utmost I might be charged?
No. It limits unit charges and standing fees on coated tariffs, not the overall quantity of power a family can use. A family that makes use of extra power pays greater than the standard annual determine.
Does the Family Assist 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 Gas Cost for 2026/27?
Eligible folks in England, Wales and Northern Eire might obtain between £100 and £300. The quantity relies on age and family circumstances.
Can my power provider assist if I’m already in debt?
Doubtlessly. Ask about an reasonably priced reimbursement plan, Direct Debit overview, hardship grants, emergency credit score and another help accessible for patrons in fee issue.
