£2000 Available for Households Struggling with Energy Bills

01 October 2025

3 Minutes

Customers

Media Relations

From 1st October 2025 at 9am, households in England, Scotland and Wales could be eligible for up to £2,000 support with their energy bills this winter, as British Gas re-opens its Energy Support Fund.

The Energy Support Fund is available for existing British Gas customers experiencing energy debt or at risk of fuel poverty during the winter months. The energy supplier has a long history of supporting consumers through the British Gas Energy Trust, an independent charity, solely funded by British Gas.

The Energy Support Fund, which provided more than £4.2 million in grants to vulnerable households across Britain last winter, is available for customers who have energy debt between £50 - £2,000 on a pre-payment meter or £250 - £2,000 on a credit account.*

“As winter approaches, we know that rising household bills are a real worry for many people across the UK. We want our customers to know that we’re here to support them."

Chris O’Shea, Chief Executive of Centrica, which owns British Gas

British Gas customers who meet the criteria can apply from 9am on Wednesday 1st October 2025 via the British Gas Energy Trust website. To apply, customers need to have received assistance from a money advice agency in the last six months, or used the online budgeting tool available as part of their application.

Chris O’Shea, Chief Executive of Centrica, which owns British Gas, said:

“As winter approaches, we know that rising household bills are a real worry for many people across the UK. We want our customers to know that we’re here to support them. Tackling energy debt and fuel poverty is a priority for us and we’re making sure help is available when it’s needed most.

“We’ve committed £140 million, the UK’s largest voluntary energy support package, to help make sure no one is facing these challenges alone.

“This winter, we’ll continue to support the Trust, whose work brings real, lasting impact to people’s lives. We urge anyone who is worried about keeping their home warm this winter to apply to the fund or visit an advice center and access the support available.”

Last year, the Energy Support Fund helped almost 6,000 household occupants across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Throughout this winter, energy customers across Britain can also visit their local British Gas Post Office Pop Ups, where British Gas Energy Trust funded advisors will be on-site to provide an in-depth overview of the support available, signpost people to local organisations for ongoing support, check for benefits entitlements and provide free energy-saving tips and advice. Additionally, British Gas customers can receive in-person help with their British Gas account.

Additionally, customers of any energy supplier may be eligible to support from the Individuals and Families Fund (I&F), which provides those struggling with energy debt on a prepayment or credit account with up to £1,700.

To find out more about the support available to customers visit here.

Notes to editors

*Full eligibility criteria for the Energy Support Fund includes:

Current British Gas customers who live in Scotland, England or Wales.
Have energy debt between £50 - £2,000 on a pre-payment meter or £250 - £2,000 on a credit account
Currently experiencing or at risk of fuel poverty.
Have received assistance from a money advice agency in the last six months, or used the online budgeting tool available as part of their application.
Customers who have not received a grant from the British Gas Energy Trust in the past 12 months.
Customers who are seeking a grant to clear outstanding debt on a current energy account in their name and place of residence. Applications for closed accounts (if the customer has moved home or changed supplier) cannot be considered.

About British Gas: British Gas is Britain’s leading supplier of energy and home services and one of the country’s biggest retailer of zero carbon electricity. We are part of Centrica, a company founded on a 200-year heritage of serving people. We provide energy, products, and services to over 10 million UK homes and businesses, supported by around 7,000 highly trained engineers and technicians. We also offer a range of innovative products and services, including Hive. Our purpose of helping customers live sustainably, simply and affordably drives our strategy and our People and Planet Plan. 

About British Gas Energy Trust: The British Gas Energy Trust is an independent charitable trust, established in 2004 and solely funded by British Gas. Its mission is to alleviate the detrimental impact of poverty, with a focus on fuel poverty. Support is available to all individuals and households, regardless of their energy supplier. Assistance is delivered through four principal programmes: debt relief grants direct to households with up to £2,000 in energy debt; a small grants scheme, delivered through a network of trusted partners, which provides emergency energy vouchers and essential white goods; funding for over 40 money and energy advice projects across Britain; and an outreach programme that brings expert money and energy advice directly into the heart of communities.

Since its launch, the British Gas Energy Trust has provided consistent, financial help for vulnerable households and remains one of the largest, grant giving energy Trusts in the UK – since 2004 over £230 million has been invested to help over 830,000 people manage their household budgets and energy costs.