Struggling to pay fuel bills

I work in a low paid job and with the price of energy going up, I am really struggling to pay my fuel bills. What can I do?

There are different tariffs and payment methods available so the first thing to do is speak to your energy supplier to check you are on the best deal for you and whether there is a cheaper way to pay your bill.

It’s also really important that you check you are receiving all of the benefits and tax credits you are entitled to.  It’s easy to think that because you go out to work and earn a wage you wouldn’t get any financial help from the Government – that’s not true.  £20 billion of benefits goes unclaimed every year – and some of these are ‘in work benefits’ for those who don’t earn a lot.  So you could be missing out on money that could help you cope with rising costs – like energy bills.  Your local Citizens Advice Bureaux can help you figure out whether you are entitled to any benefits. 

If you think that you are not going to be able to pay your bill – which leaves you in debt to your energy company, then you need to tell your energy supplier as soon as possible. They have a duty to help you and make sure that you are repaying what you can afford.

There are a number of agencies, including Citizens Advice and Age UK are currently doing promotions to help people with managing their energy bills and heating their homes in the most economical way.