Help with London fuel and heating bills from grants

Many of the boroughs in London provide winter heating bill help to their residents that have a low income. Any type of assistance will come in the form of a grant, and most of the councils will provide anywhere from £50 to £100 for this need.

There is no guarantee to receiving assistance for paying fuel bills. The funds are processed on a first come first serve basis, and once the money runs out then no one else will be able to be assisted. In addition, not all of the local authorities provide this scheme to their residents. Only some of the boroughs in London participate, including Richmond upon Thames, Sefton, Merton, and others.

Grant based funding

The money to pay for the winter heating bill programmes will be allocated from their local welfare assistance schemes. So a council will part of the funds they receive from the government and dedicate it to helping the low income keep their heat and electricity on during the winter.

There will always be a maximum amount paid out as well. Generally the maximum aimed at fuel bills is at most £100. But since each government agency can allocate their funds based on their own criteria, this amount will vary widely across each of the London borough. The amount of the grant is usually based on the applicant’s circumstances including their income, whether the need for help is one time only or long term, any health risks, and other criteria.

Emergency heating bill help is only for individuals or families on a low income. The applicant may or may not be on benefits. Grants may also be allocated to pensioners, the disabled, homes with young children, and other vulnerable residents. But in general the applicant needs to have low earnings as well as no savings in their bank account or no access to other assistance.

Applying for heating bill assistance in London

There will be a deadline for applying. It will usually be sometime during the month of February, but each authority sets their own deadline. As an example, the London Borough of Hillingdon has a later cut off. When applying, the person should have proof of any pensions or benefits they currently receive, including DWP award letters. Individuals also need proof of income as well as savings, including a copy of most recent statements.

Also bring proof of applying to (and being denied or approved) for the state benefits that focus on heating costs. So the London family needs details on if they applied for Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment. Each borough office wants to determine what other benefits the resident is receiving before they use any of their limited welfare funds to assist.

The review process of each application will take several weeks. A decision will be made either in March or April. If approved, then the grant will be paid out in the form of a credit on the household’s gas or electric bills. This is why it is important to also bring a copy of a statement or bill with an account number from the current energy supplier. This is needed so the authorities know which account to credit.

For more information, including details on whether it is offered in a borough or not, ring a local London council customer service teem. Or find more information on the boroughs below as well as how to apply.  Applicants can only call the team in the borough where they live. Even if the grants for electric or gas bills are not available, the team can assess other schemes that may be able to help the family.

Barking and Dagenham
Bexley
Brent
Bromley
Camden
City of London
City of Westminster
Croydon
Ealing
Enfield
Greenwich
Hackney
Hammersmith and Fulham
Haringey
Harrow
Havering
Hillingdon
Hounslow
Islington
Kensington and Chelsea
Kingston-Upon-Thames
Lambeth
Lewisham
Merton
Newham
Redbridge
Richmond-upon-Thames
Southwark
Sutton
Waltham Forest
Wandsworth