The British Gas Energy Trust Individual and Family fund opened for applications on 2 May 2023, the trust has said. The fund covers energy arrears of up to £2,000 and is open to customers of any supplier, not only British Gas customers1.
The trust states that applicants do not need to be British Gas customers, but that customers of Boost, Eon, Eon Next, EDF, Scottish Power, Ovo, Octopus, SSE and Utilita (credit customers only) should apply to those suppliers directly, because each runs its own fund for its own customers1. The trust says this is to ensure grants go to people who cannot access energy debt help from their own provider1.
To be considered, an applicant must meet all of the trust's criteria. The trust says applications that do not tick every box will not progress to assessment1. The criteria are:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Live in England, Scotland or Wales |
| Previous grants | No British Gas Energy Trust grant in the last 2 years |
| Debt | Outstanding debt on a current or open gas, electricity or dual fuel account in the applicant's name, or as a member of that household, relating to the main residence |
| Fuel poverty | In or facing fuel poverty |
| Advice | Has received help from a money advice agency |
Successful applicants have their energy account credited with the grant. The trust states it does not award cash payments1. The trust also says it will want to understand how an applicant will manage energy costs in future, and that seeking professional money advice before applying matters because other routes may suit some situations better1.
"You do not need to be a British Gas customer to apply for this fund, you can be a British Gas Customer, or a customer from another supplier with arrears of up to £2,000"
The trust's own page carries a note that the post has not been updated in a while and that some details may no longer be accurate1. No closing date for the fund, no total value of the fund and no figure for the number of grants available have been reported1.
Why it matters for households
Energy debt grants reduce what a household owes on its account, which is a different thing from reducing what it uses. A credited account lowers the arrears balance and can make a repayment arrangement more manageable, but it does not change the standing charges, unit rates or the condition of the home. For a household's energy independence, the practical effect is breathing space on the bill rather than a change in how the home is heated or powered.
The fund's structure also matters. Because the grant is credited to the account and never paid in cash, it cannot be put towards insulation, heating controls or other measures that would cut consumption. Households looking at the fabric of the home rather than the arrears balance are in a different part of the grants and schemes landscape, and the trust's requirement of prior money advice reflects that debt write-off is one route among several.
The exclusion of customers of eight named suppliers is significant, because those households must go to their own supplier's fund instead. That makes the supplier a household is with a factor in which energy debt write-off grant it can access at all.
What happens next
Applications are made through the trust's online application portal1. The trust has not reported a closing date for the fund1.
Sources1 cited
- British Gas Energy Trust Individual & Family Fund Now Open | Apply for Energy Debt Grant, britishgasenergytrust.org.uk