IF YOU CAN’T PAY YOUR
FUEL BILL
Energy prices are rising and unless you have fixed your tariff for this
winter you are going to be paying more. Whatever you do to reduce your costs you
may find that you get a bill that you just cannot pay.
Three of the major energy companies have charitable trusts that can help
with bills and a few other expenses. There are also schemes that help with water
bills and other debts. So if you get a bill that frightens you, don’t put it in
a drawer hoping it will go away. It won’t. And the sooner you get help the
better.
British Gas Energy Trust
This trust is the biggest of the energy firm charities. British Gas has
put more than £43 million into it. You can get help from the fund even if you
are not a British Gas customer. It can make payments to clear debts for energy
and water or for rent arrears or even council tax. It can also make a payment to
buy essential household items such as a washing machine or cooker if yours has
gone wrong and you cannot afford a new one. If your boiler has gone wrong then
you may be able to get help from one of the ECO schemes run by your energy
supplier. Applying is easy – but a payment is not guaranteed.
You must show an exceptional need.
http://www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/
Other energy charities
EDF Energy Trust can make payments to clear your debts to EDF energy. It
can also make payments for water debts or essential household goods. You will have
to show an exceptional need to qualify.
http://www.edfenergytrust.org.uk/
The
npower Energy Fund is only for customers of npower. It can make grants to clear
an energy debt to npower but it will require the applicant to show a commitment
to managing their money and achieving what it calls ‘financial stability’.
http://www.npowerenergyfund.com/index.php
General grants
The charity Turn2Us
keeps a database of thousands of charitable trusts that can help with financial
problems. Some of these help people in particular parts of the country. Others
relate to your job or past job. You can search the database free
http://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk
Charis Grants also
runs several charitable trusts – some for the energy industry and others for
water firms and utilities. If you have any problem with essential bills or debts
it is worth seeing what it can offer
www.charisgrants.com/
Debt advice
If you
have a general debt problem there are two charities who will give you free and
impartial advice. The first is National Debtline
www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
or call 0808 808 4000.
Equally
good is StepChange
www.stepchange.org
or call 0800 138 1111. Your local Citizens Advice will also help. Be very
careful going to any other debt advisers. Most of them are commercial
organizations and the quality varies widely.
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