Help to pay energy bills
If you cannot afford your gas and electric bills, check if you can get a grant or discount. You can also contact your supplier to see if they have support available.
You can get free money advice to help you manage your costs and deal with debt.
Contact your supplier
Most energy suppliers have grants and hardship funds that can help with bills. You could get extra support if you or someone you live with is vulnerable.
Check which suppliers have grants on mygov.scot.
Contact your supplier and explain all your circumstances. For example, tell them if:
you’re disabled or have health problems, including mental health
you’re pregnant or have young children
you’re pension age
Check you’re getting the right benefits
Claiming benefits can give you access to schemes, grants and discounts to help with bills. Even if you’re in work, you could be entitled to claim.
To check what you could get:
contact Citizens Advice for a benefits check
For some grants you'll need to show you've spoken to an adviser before you can apply. Check our advice on getting money and debt advice.
Check if you can get government support
The UK and Scottish governments have schemes that can help you to pay for your energy bills:
Warm Home Discount Scheme which usually opens near the end of the year
Winter Heating Payment, which has replaced the Cold Weather Payment in Scotland
Child Winter Heating Payment if you have a child who gets certain disability-related benefits
Winter Fuel Payment if you were born on or before 25 September 1956
Find other grants and schemes
A grant is usually a one-off payment. You do not have to pay the money back.
The council has schemes including:
a Crisis Grant if you need money in an emergency
a Community Care Grant if you need more money to live independently
local schemes to help with bills - find your council's details on mygov.scot and ask them what help you could get
Discretionary Housing Payment to help with energy costs - the council decides if you qualify based on your circumstances
Use the Turn2Us grant search to find charitable grants in your area.
If you’re on a prepayment meter
If you cannot afford to top up your prepayment meter, you could:
ask your energy supplier for temporary credit
ask the council for a fuel voucher
contact your local Citizens Advice
If you pay your energy bills to your landlord
Your tenancy agreement should say who is responsible for the bills.
If your bills are included in the rent
Your landlord can choose how much rent to charge in total. If they want to increase the rent to cover increased energy costs, there's a process they must follow, and you can usually challenge the increase.
Check our advice to see if your landlord can increase your rent.
If you pay bills to your landlord separately from your rent
Your landlord can only charge you for the gas and electricity you’ve used. They cannot sell the energy to you at a higher price than the supplier charges.
If you think you’re being overcharged, ask your landlord to show you how your bill is calculated. Contact Citizens Advice if you’re having problems with your bills.
Get help to keep your bills down
Contact Home Energy Scotland for advice on keeping your home warm and reducing your bills.
You could get a grant or loan to make your home more energy efficient. Use the Home Energy Scotland funding finder to see what's available in your area.
Last updated: 29 April 2024
Housing laws differ between Scotland and England.
This content applies to Scotland only.