Ben Dhesi, the creator of the energy-saving mobile app HUGO, built his career providing energy-saving software to businesses, racking up accolades such as two ‘Energy Buyer of the Year’ awards and the Energy Awards ‘Energy Technology Innovation of the Year’ – now he is using his expertise to help UK households with their winter energy bills.
From talking to your supplier to looking at hardship funds, Ben shares practical advice on what you should do if you find yourself struggling to pay your gas and electricity bills.
What should I do if I can’t pay my energy bills?
#1 – Don’t stop paying
While it’s true that a mass boycott of paying your energy bills would give the energy companies something to think about, it’s more likely to have had widespread negative ramifications.
A mass boycott could lead to a collapse in the market and the bankruptcy of energy suppliers leading to issues with energy supplies, even higher energy rates and more, so keep up with your payments as best you can – something is better than nothing.
TOP TIP – Your energy supplier is legally obliged by the energy regulator Ofgem to help you if you’re struggling, so try to work with your suppliers to find a better payment option such as setting up a direct debit or a payment break.
#2 – Work out your essential costs
The next thing to do is work out your essential gas and electricity costs. You can do this using looking at your energy usage on your smart meter or our HUGO app which breaks down your energy consumption by the hour.
Look at what it costs to run the essentials such as your fridge, heating etc. and see if there are any areas you can reduce your consumption, such as washing clothes in the evening when the energy rates are lower or limiting your use of energy-hungry devices like dishwashers.
TOP TIP – Take some time to see if there are small changes you can make to your consumption, as sometimes it’s the little things that add up! Items left on standby can cost you an extra £55 per year, and lights that are left on £20!
#3 – Talk to your supplier about your options
As I’ve already mentioned, your energy suppliers are legally obliged to help you if you’re struggling with your bills so don’t hesitate to get in touch with them ASAP. There are a range of options they could offer which are decided on a case-by-case basis depending on your circumstances. These include:
TOP TIP – Always be honest about your circumstances and ability to pay, there are different support options available depending on your situation such as if you are elderly, vulnerable or pregnant.
#4 – Check for any grants, schemes or benefits you may be entitled to
Even before the cost of living crisis, there have been grants, schemes and benefits available to help you with paying your energy bills, but more options have recently become available so it’s worth checking what you may be able to get.
Look into your energy supplier’s hardship funds – big energy firms will set up these charitable trusts to help those in debt to pay their bills. There will be eligibility requirements and each application is done on a case-by-case basis, but it’s worth seeing if your supplier has funds you can apply for.
The government also has many different schemes and grants you may be eligible for, so it’s worth taking the time to check your eligibility. These include:
Some of these schemes will be paid to you automatically, and those such as the elderly, disabled, or on those means-tested benefits will have access to various extra one-off payments between £150 – £650. If you’re not sure what you’re entitled to I recommend speaking to your local council or Citizen’s Advice.
TOP TIP – If you can’t get a hardship fund from your own energy supplier, look into the British Gas Energy Trust. These grants are available to everyone, not just British Gas customers.
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