Help with electricity bills on a low income

Electricity is not optional: it keeps food cold, charges the phone you use to manage your Universal Credit journal and, for some households, powers medical equipment. When the bill arrives and the money is not there, it can be tempting to ignore the letters or top up with borrowed money. Neither tends to end well.

In Great Britain, energy suppliers have clear duties towards customers who struggle to pay, and there are several schemes aimed at households on a low income. This guide covers what you can ask for, in what order, and why credit should come last.

Contact your supplier early

Ofgem rules require suppliers to treat customers in payment difficulty fairly. In practice, that means they should take your ability to pay into account when agreeing a repayment plan, and offer options such as a payment break or reduced payments for a time. Calling before arrears build up gives you more choice.

• Have your account number, recent meter readings and a simple list of your income and essential outgoings ready.
• Explain what you can realistically pay each month, not what you hope to pay.
• Ask for any agreement to be confirmed in writing.
• Ask whether the supplier runs a hardship fund or can refer you to a charitable trust that clears energy debt.

If the supplier will not agree an affordable plan, you can complain and, after the complaints process, take the matter to the Energy Ombudsman. Citizens Advice can help with the wording.

Join the Priority Services Register

The Priority Services Register is free and available to people who are of pension age, disabled, living with a long-term health condition, recovering from illness, or otherwise in a vulnerable situation, including some households with young children. Being on the register gives you extra support such as advance notice of power cuts and help with meter readings. Ask both your supplier and your network operator to add you.

Discounts and payments you may be entitled to

Warm Home Discount

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off annual reduction on the electricity bill for eligible households, mainly those receiving certain means-tested benefits. In many cases it is applied automatically; in others you need to apply through your supplier. Eligibility rules change from year to year, so check the current scheme each autumn.

Winter and cold weather payments

Depending on your benefits, age and where you live, you may receive a Winter Fuel Payment, a Cold Weather Payment in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or the Winter Heating Payment in Scotland. These are not tied to your electricity bill, but they can be set aside for it. Heating-specific help is covered in our page on help with heating costs.

Paying through your benefits

If you receive certain benefits and have energy arrears, you can ask for Fuel Direct. Part of your benefit is then paid directly to the supplier to cover ongoing use and a small amount towards the debt. It removes the risk of missing payments, though it reduces the money you receive.

Prepayment meters and the risk of self-disconnection

Many households on a tight budget use a prepayment meter. When credit runs out, the supply stops, which means people often go without rather than build up debt. If this happens:

• use the emergency credit on your meter and ask your supplier about additional support credit;
• check whether your meter has "friendly credit" periods that keep the supply on at night, weekends or bank holidays;
• ask your supplier about the amount being taken for debt each time you top up, and request a lower rate if it is leaving you short;
• contact a food bank or your council: some issue fuel vouchers for prepayment meters.

Suppliers are restricted from forcing a prepayment meter on customers in vulnerable situations. If you are worried about the supply being cut off, read our guide to avoiding a disconnection.

Local help and grants

Councils often have crisis or local welfare funds that can help with energy costs, particularly for prepayment top-ups. In Scotland, the Scottish Welfare Fund can provide Crisis Grants; in Wales, the Discretionary Assistance Fund offers emergency payments; in Northern Ireland, Discretionary Support may help. Charitable trusts linked to energy companies sometimes clear arrears for customers, and some accept applications even from people who are not their own customers.

A benefits check is worth doing too. Many people on low incomes are not claiming everything they are entitled to, and more income is a more lasting fix than a one-off grant.

Cutting usage without hardship

Small changes can make a difference on an electricity-only bill: running full loads in the washing machine, using a lid on pans, switching off appliances left on standby, and checking whether an old fridge freezer is using far more energy than it should. Ask your supplier or council whether you qualify for free insulation or energy efficiency improvements, which some schemes provide to low-income households.

Make sure you are not paying more than necessary: submitting regular meter readings avoids estimated bills, and checking your tariff can reveal a cheaper option. Gas and water problems are covered separately in our pages on gas bill help and water bill support.

Why borrowing should be the last option

Energy debt is a priority debt, but it comes with protections: repayment plans based on what you can afford, support credit and an ombudsman. A payday loan or credit card used to pay the bill swaps that protected debt for one with high interest and fewer safeguards. If you are thinking of borrowing, speak to a free debt adviser first.

If a small loan still seems necessary, a credit union or a Universal Credit Budgeting Advance is far cheaper than high-cost credit. Compare the APR and the total amount repayable. Never pay a fee up front to someone offering a loan, and ignore social media messages from "lenders" or people offering to "clear" your energy debt for a fee. Check any firm on the FCA register.

Electricity bill checklist

1. Call your supplier and ask for an affordable repayment plan.
2. Register for the Priority Services Register if eligible.
3. Check the Warm Home Discount and winter payments.
4. Ask about hardship funds, charitable trusts and council crisis support.
5. Consider Fuel Direct if you receive benefits and have arrears.
6. Get free debt advice before any loan.