Help with energy bills from utility companies and grants
Support with your utilities
Contact your energy, electricity, gas or water supplier as soon as you can if you are worried about any of you utility bills.
Under Ofgem rules, energy suppliers must work with you to agree on a payment plan you can afford, including reviewing a plan you have agreed to before. You can ask for:
- a review of your payments and debt repayments
- payment breaks or reductions
- more time to pay
- access to hardship funds
Each energy supplier offers a scheme known as 'Priority Service Registration'. This is a free support service to help people in vulnerable situations. Each supplier keeps their own register and you need to contact them directly to get on it:
Water bills
The 'Water Sure scheme' is a scheme which might help you with your water bills:
National Energy Action - action for warmer homes
National Energy Action (NEA) is the national charity working to end fuel poverty in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They offer advice and support to fuel-poor households in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as advocating for policy and regulation to protect the most vulnerable households. They also offer training to frontline staff of other organisations, so they can best support fuel-poor households:
Heating your home and energy grants
The West Sussex Energy website has advice on heating your home safely and efficiently, and information about heating and insulation grants:
LEAP: The energy and money saving service
LEAP (the Local Energy Advice Partnership) is a free service that is helping people to keep warm and reduce their energy bills without costing them any money. Their website includes information on how LEAP works, if you are eligible, how to get support and what to expect from LEAP:
Warmer Homes
If you have a household income of less than £30,000 you might be eligible for free energy efficiency improvements for your home depending on its current energy performance. This website gives you more information and you can check your eligibility:
Collective energy buying - join our Community Energy Switch scheme
You could save money on your energy bills by joining a collective buying scheme like Adur & Worthing Big Community Switch, which is run by the Councils in partnership with collective energy buyer, iChoosr.
Page last updated: 12 September 2023