British Gas launched the You Pay: We Pay scheme in May 2024, under which it will identify customers who need help with their bills and match the amount they can afford to pay towards energy bills for six months, starting in June1. The supplier is investing £15m in the scheme, which it says will help customers in fuel poverty to reduce their energy debts1.
Under the scheme, British Gas identifies customers who might qualify; there is no application process. Customers are invited to a detailed assessment with a specially trained adviser to determine eligibility1. The broad criteria are that a customer must be in fuel poverty or at risk of it, have asked for debt advice or plan to do so, have been a British Gas customer for at least six months, and agree a payment amount they can afford after assessment1.
The matching works on the payments a household agrees to make. Which? gives the example that if a customer pays £100 a month for six months, British Gas will also add £600 credit to the account1. The scheme aims to help customers avoid falling into debt or reduce existing debts on their energy accounts1.
Energy UK's 2024 Vulnerability Commitment Good Practice Guide describes the scheme as "launched in May 2024 and the first of its kind in the energy sector, matching 100% of energy payments made by customers who need help"2. The same guide records that British Gas is one of 13 signatories to the Vulnerability Commitment, which Energy UK launched in December 2020 and which it says covers more than 95% of the UK domestic retail market2.
"Under the scheme launched in May 2024, British Gas will identify customers needing help with their bills. Once you've been assessed, they'll match the amount you can afford to pay towards your energy bills for six months, starting in June."
Separately from You Pay: We Pay, the British Gas Energy Trust is an independent charity that helps people in vulnerable situations who are struggling to pay energy bills, giving advice through local services and grants in some circumstances1. Customers do not need to be with British Gas to use the trust, and customers of other suppliers can apply; those with significant debts can apply to both schemes1. Which? reports that some other suppliers also have hardship funds or other support for customers struggling with payments1.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fuel poverty | In fuel poverty or at risk of it |
| Debt advice | Has asked for debt advice or plans to do so |
| Tenure with supplier | British Gas customer for at least six months |
| Payment agreement | Agrees an affordable amount after assessment |
Why it matters for households
The scheme reduces what an eligible household owes over the six months it runs, because each affordable payment is matched with credit of the same size1. For a household on a tight budget, that can mean the difference between clearing arrears and falling further behind, and it applies to gas and electricity costs1. Because eligibility is decided by British Gas rather than by application, a household that meets the criteria does not need to do anything to be considered, though it will need to take part in an assessment and agree a payment amount1. The scheme sits alongside the supplier's existing charity route, which is open to customers of any supplier1. For a home's energy independence, the practical effect is on the debt side of the account rather than on consumption: the scheme does not change tariffs, unit rates or how much energy a home uses, and no figures for the number of households expected to be helped have been reported1.
What happens next
The matching period runs for six months from June 20241. Energy UK's guide, published in October 2024, records that the Vulnerability Commitment's monitoring phase for its fourth year found all participating suppliers compliant with its requirements, and that Energy UK will work with the Commitment's Independent Chair, Advisory Board and signatories to review and update the Commitment, with a new Independent Chair to be recruited for the start of 20252.