Tackling fuel poverty with our Post Office Pop-Ups

Together with the British Gas Energy Trust, we’ve been on a mission since 2004 to help anyone in or at risk of fuel poverty. As the cost of living crisis continues to affect households up and down the UK, support at the heart of communities has never been more important to reach the growing number of people in need of support. That’s why the Post Office Pop-Up outreach programme was launched in 2021. 

Since then, the Post Office Pop-Ups have helped thousands of people facing financial hardship by providing free expert energy advice, debt support and follow up access to energy grants of up to £2,000. This has been enabled through 167 Pop-Ups in 77 locations - from Saint Leonards-on-Sea to the Scottish Isles. 

The Pop-Ups are powered by experts from over 40 money and energy advice projects that are funded by the British Gas Energy Trust which includes Citizens Advice, Money Matters and Riverside Advice, alongside volunteers from across British Gas and Centrica who have really rallied behind the initiative. With colleagues using their two-day volunteering allowance, they’ve been able to combine expertise to share how the public can reduce their energy bills and access further support. Many of our volunteers come from our debt advice team which enables them to harness the passion and skills they use every day to help customers with their energy and put them to good use in their community. 

Fiona Turner, Customer Resolution Agent and British Gas Volunteer said “I feel it’s important especially in times of financial difficulty, that people feel that the person or company they are talking too cares and is doing the best for them. At the Post Office Pop-Up, we helped lots of people that day. It felt good to use my skills and share debt and energy efficiency advice, as well as provide things like a heated blankets and energy saving bulbs. I’ll definitely look to volunteer at a Pop-Up again in the future to help people get the help they need.” 

Over the past year, the volume of Pop-Ups has increased to meet demand with 40 having taken place across some of the UK’s most deprived areas. The drop-in sessions were open to everyone and offered an opportunity for people passing by and for those with complex needs or without access to digital resources, to receive free face-to-face energy advice regardless of which utility company they get their energy from. 

Damon, Project Manager, Money Matters  said “We’ve been delivering sessions and promoting the service, also giving people advice in their local community Post Office. There’s people who didn’t know about us and were going in perhaps to top up their gas and electricity meter, and we were there to give them that advice they needed to make sure they were able to manage their energy bills a bit better.” 

Hear more from our partners at Money Matters and Riverside Advice

In 2024, we were able to help over 3,000 individuals and families access the support they need. At a time when many are feeling the strain on household budgets, support like this makes a huge difference. By gaining greater control over energy usage and bills, we can importantly help reduce financial burden and the detrimental impact this can have on people’s lives. 

The Pop-Ups are one of many targeted activities led by the British Gas Energy Trust which is an independent charity funded solely by British Gas. We’re proud to work with them and their partners on this initiative and others, enabled through two-decades of support which has seen us contribute nearly £200m in mandatory and voluntary donations to the Trust, reaching over 700,000 people. Together, we look forward to continuing to provide energy support via the Pop-Ups alongside our wider activities to support customers and communities with their energy bills. 

Read more about our partnership with the British Gas Energy Trust and the support that’s available.