The British Gas Energy Trust reopened the Individuals and Families Fund on 2 September 2024, offering energy debt grants of up to £1,700 to households with debt on a credit or pre-payment meter account1. The Trust said the fund is open to both British Gas and non-British Gas customers, but that households whose own supplier runs a support fund cannot apply1.
The Trust is an independent charity established in 2004 and solely funded by British Gas1. It said it supported more than 5,300 households with £7.8m in energy debt grants in 2023-24, with 5.6% of recipients aged over state pension age1. A separate Trust article put the share going to pensioners at 6%2. The Trust also describes its wider grant programmes as able to help households with up to £2,000 in fuel debt1.
Applicants must first receive money guidance from a money advice agency, or use the online budgeting tool that forms part of the application1. The Trust said other criteria apply and directs households to its website for details1.
The reopening comes alongside changes to Winter Fuel Payments. The Trust said only pensioners in England and Wales receiving Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit or Universal Credit will receive a winter fuel payment of between £100 and £300, subject to eligibility conditions1. It estimated that around 10 million pensioners are affected by the changes1.
"We encourage applications to the Individuals and Families Fund from anyone that needs support with their energy debt. The change in eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payments, coupled with the energy price cap increase from October, means more people might find themselves struggling with their bills as we head towards winter."
The Trust also funds 41 money and energy advice projects in community-based charities and social enterprises across Britain1. It said those services helped more than 24,000 people last year2, and that the number of fuel-poor households in Britain has more than doubled in the last four years, now standing at almost nine million2. The government estimates as many as 880,000 pensioners are missing out on Pension Credit, which the Trust said could be worth on average £3,900 per year2.
Why it matters for households
Energy debt grants reduce arrears directly, which is the point at which a household's standing with its supplier, and its ability to switch or take on a new tariff, is most constrained. A grant that clears a meter debt removes a barrier that otherwise sits in front of almost every other energy decision. The fund's restriction matters too: households whose supplier runs its own support scheme cannot use this one, so eligibility depends partly on who supplies the home. The British Gas Energy Trust guide sets out how the trust's grants work, and the wider picture of crisis and hardship funds for energy covers the other schemes households in arrears may encounter. For those weighing up how grants fit with bills, energy bills and energy independence explains the link between arrears, tariffs and control over a home's energy costs.
What happens next
The Trust said it is launching the fourth round of its Post Office Pop-Ups, running in seven new areas from November to March, with money and energy advisers from charities it funds based in Post Offices across England, Scotland and Wales2. It also encouraged pensioners to check Pension Credit eligibility during Pension Credit Week of Action2. The Trust's pages carry a note that some posts have not been updated recently and that details may have changed, directing readers to its support pages for current information1.
Sources2 cited
- British Gas Energy Trust encourages pensioners to apply for energy support this winter - British Gas Energy Trust, britishgasenergytrust.org.uk
- Dear pensioners worried about winter fuel payment cuts: You are not alone this winter - British Gas Energy Trust, britishgasenergytrust.org.uk