The British Gas Energy Trust published its 2024 Impact Report on 6 December 2024, covering the 2023/24 period and marking two decades of work on fuel poverty across Britain1. The Trust, which was established in 2004, said it has invested nearly £200 million since then and has helped over 700,000 people manage energy costs1.
In the past year the Trust provided over £16.3 million in support and directly assisted more than 64,000 clients through four programmes: debt relief grants, which can help households with up to £2,000 in fuel debt; a small grants programme providing emergency energy vouchers, financial assistance payments and white goods; and a programme funding over 40 money and energy advice projects1. Its 2023/24 figures include £6.9 million in client energy debt written off and £25.8 million in debt managed, with over 5,300 households supported through energy debt relief grants totalling £7.8 million1. More than £28 million was gained in client income through benefits checks and income maximisation services, and over 25,000 in-depth holistic support sessions were delivered across projects1.
The report breaks the year down further. Income maximisation produced £28.2 million in client income and 40,321 benefits and income checks; emergency assistance accounted for £2.4 million in emergency fuel vouchers and 568 households supported through white goods grants valued at £256,000; holistic client support reached 25,285 clients, with 13,400 budget plans created and 12,981 home energy surveys conducted; and education and outreach recorded 10,434 clients attending workshops or education sessions and 119,448 hours of casework support1.
| Measure | 2023/24 figure |
|---|---|
| Energy debt written off | £6.9 million |
| Debt managed | £25.8 million |
| Households supported with debt relief grants | Over 5,300 |
| Value of debt relief grants | £7.8 million |
| Client income gained | £28.2 million |
| Emergency fuel vouchers | £2.4 million |
| White goods grants | 568 households, £256,000 |
| Holistic support sessions | 25,285 clients |
| Home energy surveys | 12,981 |
Jessica Taplin, chief executive of the Trust, said the work remains critical as cost-of-living challenges continue to affect millions1.
"This year's £20 million funding commitment from British Gas ensures we can continue this vital work in the years ahead."
The report states that nearly nine million households in the UK are now living in fuel poverty, citing a House of Commons Library briefing1. Analysis of the Trust's funded organisations' client data showed that of the 185 postcode areas where its money and energy advice projects operated, 65 per cent fell within Index of Multiple Deprivation levels 1 to 5, the most deprived communities across Britain1.
Why it matters for households
The report sets out the scale of energy debt relief available through one route: grants that can clear up to £2,000 of fuel debt, alongside emergency vouchers and white goods grants1. For a household carrying arrears, that is the difference between a debt being written off and being managed over time, and the report separates the two, with £6.9 million written off against £25.8 million managed in 2023/241. The income maximisation figures point to a second lever: benefits checks that produced £28.2 million in client income, money that can cover bills without new borrowing1. The Trust's own framing links this to energy independence at home, since debt relief and income gains reduce reliance on emergency credit and payment plans. Households comparing suppliers or considering a switch can find background in the suppliers hub and on energy suppliers and household energy independence; the grants and schemes hub covers support routes more broadly.
What happens next
The Trust said it aims to further innovate its approach, using data-driven insights to address emerging challenges and expanding partnerships with local organisations, and the report underscores the need for continued collaboration to reduce fuel poverty sustainably over the next decade1. The full 2024 Impact Report is available from the Trust1. No further dated commitments beyond the £20 million funding commitment from British Gas have been reported1.
Sources1 cited
- British Gas Energy Trust 2024 Impact report - British Gas Energy Trust, britishgasenergytrust.org.uk