The British Gas Energy Trust reopened its White Goods Fund on 14 August 2025, the Trust announced. The fund provides essential household appliances to households in financial hardship across England, mainland Scotland and Wales1.
In its previous year the fund supplied 2,148 critical items, described by the Trust as refrigerators, cookers and washing machines, and the Trust says this directly helped 6,627 individuals struggling with financial hardship1. Applications are being accepted through British Gas or through charitable organisations funded by the Trust1. The Trust has not reported the total value of the fund, the value or type of individual awards, or a closing date for applications.
Jessica Taplin, chief executive of the Trust, said:
"The White Goods Fund plays a vital role in supporting families who are facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. When a household lacks essential items like a working fridge or an oven, daily life can become a constant challenge. This fund helps relieve some of that pressure by providing equipment every home needs to function more easily. It's not just about convenience; it's about creating a safe and healthy home."
The Trust also described one case: Sam, a Big Issue vendor in the north of England who is disabled and lives with his family in a small flat. After his cooker broke, a Big Issue money and energy adviser provided a new one through the fund, and further support followed in the form of a fridge-freezer, LED lightbulbs, curtains, a heated airer and heated blankets, plus energy efficiency tips. The Trust says the name was changed to protect the client's identity1.
The fund covers England, mainland Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland is not listed among the areas served1. The Trust's announcement does not state whether the fund operates in the Scottish islands.
Why it matters for households
A working fridge, cooker or washing machine is not optional equipment in a home. A broken appliance can force spending on replacements, takeaway food or launderette trips at the moment a household can least absorb it, and a failed fridge or cooker can push a household towards food that is cheaper but harder to store or cook.
For a home's energy independence, the practical link is narrower than for insulation or heating schemes. Appliances do not cut the amount of gas or electricity a home buys, but efficient replacements and the smaller items named in the case described, such as LED lightbulbs, curtains, a heated airer and heated blankets, bear on how much energy is used to cook, wash, dry and stay warm. The fund sits alongside the wider landscape of home energy grants and schemes in the UK and the separate crisis and hardship funds for energy that deal with debt rather than equipment.
Eligibility here is not the same as for supplier obligation schemes. The Trust routes applications through British Gas and through charities it funds, rather than through a national eligibility framework, so the route in differs from Energy Company Obligation measures or the devolved schemes covered in the guides to home energy grants in England, home energy grants in Scotland and home energy grants in Wales. Benefit-based eligibility for other support is set out in which benefits qualify you for energy grants.
What happens next
The Trust has not reported a closing date, an application window or a target number of awards for the reopened fund1. Its announcement carries a note that the post had not been updated for a while and that some details may no longer be accurate, directing readers to its support pages for current information1.
Sources1 cited
- British Gas Energy Trust Reopens White Goods Fund for Vulnerable Households | White Goods Fund, britishgasenergytrust.org.uk