Health and Safety Executive

Financial aid for gas services

Some financial aid is available to qualifying people to help with maintenance of gas appliances and general home safety.

Priority Services Register

This is available to any household where one or more of the following apply to all residents:

  • they are of pensionable age
  • they have a disability
  • they have long tern ill health
  • they are blind or visually impaired

Available services are:

  • annual free gas safety check
  • password protection scheme - a system to pre-arrange an agreed password to be used whenever staff visit your home
  • moving meters - if it is difficult to reach or read your gas or electricity meter your supplier may consider moving it to a more convenient position, free of charge
  • meter reading - if no one in your household is able to read the gas or electricity meter your supplier will arrange for it to be read every quarter (as apposed to the legal requirement of once every 2 years)
  • help if your gas supply is disrupted - if your gas supply is turned off for safety reasons your gas supplier will provide you with alternative cooking and heating facilities
  • advance notice of planned work causing disruption to your electricity supply
  • special controls and adaptors - your supplier can fit these to help make gas and electricity appliances and meters easier for your use.
  • bill nominee scheme - this offers the option for a copy of your bills to be sent to a friend, relative or carer's address so they can help you read and check your bill.
  • services for visually impaired or hearing impaired consumers - your gas supplier can provide information in braille, large print, on audiotape, via textphone or typetalk.

For more information contact your energy supplier or visit the energywatch website.

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Warm Front Scheme (England)

Warm Front can provide a grant of £2,700 or £4,000 (if oil central heating has been recommended) to provide a package of insulation and heating tailored to your property. Amongst the options available for a home are gas room heaters with thermostat controls or heating repairs and replacements to existing systems.

This grant is available to most people receiving benefits. To find out if you are eligible for a grant please visit the Warm Front homepage.

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Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (Wales)

This scheme provides a grant for a package of heating and insulation measures tailored to your property, up to the value of £2000. There are several options which include gas room heaters and repairs to existing central heating systems.

This grant is available to most people receiving benefits. To find out if you are eligible for a grant please visit Home Energy EfficiencyScheme website.

This scheme also includes a Home Energy Efficiency Plus, which provides the same options available from the normal grant but also a higher grant of up to £5000 for a gas, oil or electric central heating system.

This Plus grant is available to single parent families or households over the age of 60 who are in receipt of benefits. To find out if you are eligible for a grant please visit the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme website.

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Central heating programme (Scotland)

This scheme offers a grant of up to £3,500 (or £5,500 where the lowest priced package of measures exceeds £3,500) for a package of measures, including an upgraded or new central heating system, to qualifying people over 60 years old who ha ve partial or inefficient heating.

For more information, please visit the Warm Deal Scheme.

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The Warm Homes Plus Grant (Northern Ireland)

This scheme provides a grant of up to £700 for specific heating measures, including the repair or upgrade of an existing natural gas central heating system.

This grant is available to people over the age of 60 who are in receipt of a specific range of benefits. To find out if you are eligible for a grant please visit eaga plc's Warm Homes website.

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The Social Fund:

Community Care Grant

Community Care Grants are a discretionary grant available in specific situations; one of which is the lack of an essential item causing you stress or affecting the health of your children.

Community Care Grants are discretionary grants that do not have to be repaid. There is no maximum amount that can be awarded. This grant is available to people in receipt of a specific range of benefits. To find out if you are eligible for a grant please visit the Department for Work and Pension's community care grants.

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Budgeting loans

Budgeting loans are a discretionary loan that can help with essential lump sum expenses, including household equipment, which are difficult to budget for when you are living on means-tested benefits. The discretionary loan does have to be paid back but is interest free. The minimum amount that can be awarded is £100 and the maximum is £1500.

This loan is available to people in receipt of a specific range of benefits. To find out if you are eligible for the loan please visit Jobcentre Plus.

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Crisis loan

Crisis loans are a discretionary loan available in an emergency or disaster. Anyone aged over 16 who is unable to pay for basic living cost which results in a serious risk to the health and safety of themselves or their family can apply to receive a crisis loan.

Crisis loans have to be repaid but no interest is charged on them. The maximum amount that will be awarded is £1500.

For more information please visit the Department for Work and Pension's crisis loans section.

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Pension credits

Pension Credits are an entitlement for people aged 60 or over living in Great Britain. This could mean extra money for you every week. Pension Credit guarantees everyone aged 60 and over an income of at least:

  • £114.05 a week if you are single
  • £174.05 a week if you have a partner

Also, if you or your partner is 65 or over you may be rewarded for saving for your retirement, up to:

  • £17.88 if you are single
  • £23.58 a week if you have a partner

For more information please visit the pension credits website.

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Winter fuel payments

A winter fuel payment is an annual payment to help people aged 60 and over with the costs of keeping warm in winter. Anyone is entitled to receive a payment if they are aged 60 and during the qualifying week were not excluded for:

  • being in hospital getting free inpatient treatment and have been getting such treatment for more than 52 weeks;
  • being in custody serving a sentence imposed by a court;
  • being subject to immigration control and not eligible for help from the Department for Work and Pensions;
  • living in a care home, an independent hospital or Ilford Park Polish Resettlement Home (and have been for the preceeding 12 weeks or more), and get Pension Credit or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

You will get either £100 or £200, depending on your circumstances in the qualifying week. If you are aged 80 or over and are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment, you will get an extra £50 or £100, so you could get up to £300, depending on your circumstances in the qualifying week.

For more information visit the pension service.

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16.03.09