HELPING HAND
Little known cash grants that could help you get £1,000 free cash
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STRUGGLING families or individuals could be missing out on cash grants that could be worth £1,000's.
A range of organisations including the government and local charity's offer the financial help if you are in need.
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If you are struggling it is worth being aware of online tools which can help you access grants.
For example, Turn2Us has an online tool which checks your elibiglty for over 1,400 grants.
All of the grants do not need to be paid back and the tool will search through the grants and let you know if you qualify.
Below we round up all the grants you could be missing out on.
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ENERGY GRANTS - £1,000'S
Many gas and energy suppliers offer grants and schemes for customers who are struggling.
For example, British Gas has a fund open to pre-payment meter and credit customers who have found themselves in debt worth up to £1,700.
The Individual and Families Fund was first set up in 2021 to help households struggling with energy debt.
This scheme's support is available to British Gas and non-British Gas customers.
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However, if your provider is Ovo Energy, E.ON Next, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, Octopus Energy or Utilita it asks your go to them for assistance first.
Household Support Fund
You can check out your eligibility for the scheme here.
Elsewhere, EDF has a customer support fund which on average wipes £1,250 off customers' bills.
It is available to vulnerable customers experiencing hardship.
To apply, visit EDF’s website and make sure you have details of your account number (find it on your energy bills or EDF emails) and the current debt balance on all EDF accounts you have.
Meanwhile, Octopus Energy offers a range of support, including cash from its Octopus Energy Assist Fund.
It could also include loaning a thermal imagery camera to find heat leaks in your home, which you can fix to reduce energy usage and your bill.
It also conducts home energy visits to discuss how households can reduce their usage and gives out free electric blankets.
HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT FUND - UP TO £500
Cash-strapped households can get access to money through the Household Support Fund (HSF).
The aid was set up in 2021 and has since been extended by the UK government several times.
How much you are eligible for is usually based on what benefits you already receive and your financial circumstances.
The pot of cash is handed out by local councils and it varies from area to area.
Each local council receives a portion of the £421million fund, which is then distributed to residents based on need.
Some councils may provide direct cash payments, while others issue vouchers to help cover essentials like energy or food.
How the money is distributed will vary, so it's important to .
In the past, Worcestershire County Council has offered some individuals up to £500 in support.
MACMIlLLAN GRANTS -£200
These are grants worth £200 for cancer patients to help with energy bills or the cost of travel to and from hospital.
You can apply for a Macmillan Grant if you reside in the UK, are 18 or over and have a current cancer diagnosis.
- You have no more than £1,000 in savings for your household
- You have a weekly income of no more than £323 per week for a household of one person or no more than £442 per week for a household of two or more people
- You have not already had a Macmillan Grant in the last 2 years.
When working out your weekly income the charity does not count
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Attendance Allowance (AA).
You can apply by visiting, ttps://www.macmillan.org.uk/.
FREE WHITE GOODS AND BOILER CHECKS - £1,000'S
The Direct Access to Wellbeing Services Team (DAWS) is a new service set up by gas supplier Cadent and the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Charity.
The pair are offering £2.4million worth of grants to help 100,000 vulnerable healthcare users with financial support over the next two years.
It is currently only available to NHS patients in Birmingham but if the project is successful then it may be rolled out across the wider UK.
Households can not apply directly for this support - they need to be referred by their health worker GP, health visitor or nurse.
When the DAWS team receives a referral, an advisor will work through their details in a consultation.
From there, they will know which services they will need support with. This can include:
- Energy efficiency improvements around the home
- White goods like fridges or cookers
- Boiler checks
- Helping people get the benefits they are entitled to
- Support to maximise their income
In some instances, referrals have been actioned within 48 hours but this may not be the case everytime.
THE TEACHING STAFF TRUST - £1,000's
The Teaching Staff Trust also offers cash grants to those who work in the education sector and face financial difficulty.
It can help those who have found themselves in unemployed or in unexpected financial difficulty.
The Sun spoke to one mum who used to scheme and was given £1,000 in vouchers to spend at Amazon and the big supermarkets.
Patients and their families can ask about the support by speaking to their health professional.
BOILER UPGRADE SCHEME - £7,500
Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you could get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler.
You can get one grant per property, towards help with the following:
- £7,500 towards an air source heat pump
- £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
- £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
- To qualify for this scheme you must own the property you are looking to upgrade.
You must find an MCS-certified installer to claim the grant on your behalf.
MCS is the certification scheme for energy-efficiency product installers.
You can find the nearest ones to you by visiting www.mcscertified.com/find-an-installer, but it is worth shopping for a few quot
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What to do if you can't pay your bills
FALLING behind on your energy bills can be extremely stressful.
If you’re struggling to pay what you owe, contact your supplier as soon as possible.
Your provider has to help you come up with a solution, and you should be able to negotiate a deal that works for you both.
One option is to agree a payment plan where you pay off your debts in affordable instalments.
You may be able to pay off your debts directly from your benefits through the Fuel Direct Scheme.
A fixed amount will automatically be taken to cover what you owe plus your usage.
To be eligible, you must be getting one of the following benefits:
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income support
- income-related employment and support allowance
- Pension credit
- Universal Credit (but only if you’re not working)
If you cannot come to an agreement with your supplier, they may try to force you to get a prepayment meter installed.
In very rare cases, where you refuse to negotiate, your supplier might threaten you with .
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