Thousands of households could be missing out on FREE boilers and energy bill discounts

THOUSANDS of households could be missing out on free boilers and energy bill discounts ahead of next month's price increase.

The energy price cap is set to increase again on April 1, meaning millions will see their bills go up.

Energy regulator Ofgem said the average dual fuel bill for those not on a fixed deal will rise from its current level of £1,738 a year to £1,849.

That will mean an increase for the average household of £111 a year, or £9.25 a month.

It will be the third consecutive quarter to see energy prices rise.

And it's set to increase bills for around 22million households on standard variable tariffs (SVTs).

The average bill will be £159 a year higher than this time last year, but £531 lower than at the height of the energy crisis in early 2023.

The increase will hit bills from April, the same month a host of price rises are expected to add around £660 to annual household costs, in what's been dubbed ‘awful April' for consumers.

But, there is help available and those who will struggle to pay their energy bills can access funds to make their homes more energy efficient as well as grants and schemes to cut costs.

The support available includes:

Warm Homes Grants

Funding has been allocated to local councils as part of the new Warm Home Grant scheme, which will provide funding for energy and heating upgrades for low-income homes.

Funding will begin to be allocated to homeowners from April, with £500million up for grabs over three years.

The grants available will include up to £15,000, per property, for energy improvement measures such as insulation, draughtproofing and double or triple glazing, as well as solar PV and battery storage.

Up to £15,000 will also be available to households to install low carbon heating systems, such as air and ground source pumps.

The funding will be available to low income households in England who meet one of the following criteria:

• Have an annual household income of £36,000 or less
• Live in a deprived area
• Receive means-tested benefits

Funding will also be available to homes with an Energy Performance Certificate between D and G, and privately owned homes, including those offered for rent.

Councils will be opening up grant applications shortly, but households can use the Energy Saving Trust's new Homewise digital advice tool, to see how they might be able to benefit.

Free boiler schemes

Replacing an old boiler with a more energy efficient model could help reduce your energy bills and schemes are available to help.

The Energy Company Obligation requires energy providers to support customers on low incomes to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

A free gas boiler is one of the upgrades available for those who otherwise would not be able to cover the cost.

A new boiler costs an average of between £1,000 and £3,500, according to British Gas estimates, depending on the model.

If your boiler is 10 years old or more it's likely to be inefficient and replacing it with a new energy-efficient one could save you as much as £840 a year.

You might qualify for the help if you live in private housing and get one of the following benefits:

• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit
• Pension Guarantee Credit
• Pension Savings Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Child Benefit
• Housing Benefit

If you own your home, it must have an energy efficiency rating of D, E, F or G, to be eligible.

Whereas if you rent from a private landlord, the house must have an energy efficiency rating of E, F or G.

The exact terms and the help on offer can vary from provider to provider so it's important to check what you might be entitled to.

Grants to install heat pumps

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers households grants up to £7,500 to install heat pumps in their homes.

A heat pump could reduce your energy bill by between £100 and £350 a year as well being better for the environment.

Heat pumps work by shifting heat from the ground or air into your home.

The cost of installing a heat pump can vary from between £2,000 to £15,000, according to Checkatrade.

The grants available can be as much as £7,500, so could cover the entire cost.

To get the help you must:

• live in England or Wales
• own the property you're applying for
• be using the grant money to replace a fossil fuel heating system (such as oil, gas, electric or liquefied petroleum gas)
• have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

You can apply for one of the grants by first contacting a MCS certified installer to get a quote.

You can find a list of MCS-certified installers by going on the msccertified.com website.

Help with energy debt

Many energy providers offer schemes to support households that have fallen into debt.

The support available includes grants, which can be used to write-off moneys owed.

One of those offering support is the British Gas Energy Trust (BGET) – and you can apply even if you're not a British Gas customer.

Households in England, Wales and Scotland can sign up, if they're in energy debt or struggling financially.

You can get up to £2,000 worth of energy debt wiped, depending on your circumstances.

Both funds are open to households in England, Wales and Scotland paying for their energy through prepayment meter or via direct debit.

You'll need to prove you are facing fuel poverty, classed by the government as when you have to spend a high proportion of your income on keeping your home warm.

To get help through either fund, you also must have had help from a money advice or guidance agency like Citizens Advice in the last six months.

You can apply for the grants and find out more via: www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/who-can-apply.

Other energy providers also offer support so be sure to contact yours if you're struggling with bills and building up arrears.

Household Support Fund

Many councils are offering support with energy bills through the Household Support Fund (HSF).

The HSF is a giant pool of money, the last round of which was worth £421million.

That round is set to close on Monday March 31, but it has been confirmed a new round will be launched, so further schemes should be up and running shortly afterwards.

The next cash pot will be shared between councils in England who then have to distribute it to hard-up residents.

That means what you are entitled to depends on where you live, although in most cases you will qualify for help if you're on a low income or benefits.

The next round will run between April 2025 and March 2026.

Move usage off peak

Providers are encouraging people to shift their energy use to off-peak times and doing so could save you a small fortune.

Many providers offer big discounts if you move your use to times when there's less pressure on the National Grid.

But, be aware that not all providers offer off-peak rewards and those that do all have different terms.

Some simply slash the cost of energy at quieter times, with savings as big as 50%, while others have other rewards available.

The aim is to encourage customers to shift their usage to times when there's less pressure on the grid or more renewable energy available.

Check with your provider to see how you could cut your bills or check our round-up here.

Consider alternative tariffs

It is also worth looking to see if you'd be better off switching to a fixed-price tariff.

Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert has advised switching to a fixed price tariff if you can find a deal that's 3% more than the Jan-Mar cap or 3% less than the Apr-Jun cap.

Moving to a fixed price tariff ties you into a rate for the duration of the term.

So, while you're not subject to price cap increases, you also won't benefit if the cap is lowered during the quarterly reviews.

While there is a risk to this, experts do not expect to see the price cap fall this year.

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