Bills, Energy use and Debt

This scheme provides emergency financial help to households in Kent who use heating oil and have a low income. It is funded by the UK Government and is under the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

The Heating Oil Support Scheme is designed to help people in Thanet who use heating oil and are close to running out. If you cannot afford the minimum amount of oil delivered, this fund may be able to help you.

If you are eligible, you will receive a payment of £300. This money is to help with the rising cost of heating oil. It is meant to help you pay for your oil, but it may not cover the full cost of a delivery.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for this support, you must meet all the following criteria:

• Be aged 16 or over
• Live in Thanet
• Receive means-tested benefits or have a total household income of £33,000 or less per year
• Use heating oil as your main source of heating and/or hot water
• Have 150 litres of heating oil or less left in your tank. Priority will be given to households with less than 100 litres
• Be unable to afford a minimum order heating oil delivery.

If you feel you are eligible or require more information please contact the Home Energy Advice Team on 01843 577400 or email us at crf@thanet.gov.uk.

• Cost of living information
• KCC household support fund for self referral

The Winter Fuel Payment is automatically awarded to qualifying households to help towards winter energy costs.

For further information and eligibility criteria on this payment please visit: Winter Fuel Payment (gov.uk).

During extremely cold periods, we understand the need for extra heating. The Cold Weather Payment provides you with £25 for every 7 consecutive days with temperatures at or below 0 degrees. This is paid automatically, Between November and March, within 14 days of each cold weather period.

If eligible, you will automatically receive a rebate of £150 through the Warm Home Discount Scheme from your energy provider. For more information please visit: The warm home discount scheme (gov.uk).

We offer advice if you are in arrears with your energy bills and are struggling to repay the debt. There are some energy companies who can offer grants and schemes to help repay your debt. To apply for one of these schemes you will likely need to seek free debt advice through a financial support service such as Kent Advice Hub for example.

Green Doctors are energy efficiency experts offering free, impartial advice to help people take control of their bills and save energy in the home.

They can offer both telephone and home visit consultations. For more information on how to access this service, please get in touch with our team.

An energy advice service which can help to improve the warmth and wellbeing of homes throughout the UK.

They are currently only offering telephone consultations in our area. For more information on how to access this service, please get in touch with our team.

The Priority Services Register is available with both Energy and Water companies. The register is designed for residents who fulfill specific criteria, including receiving a pension, having disabilities, chronic illnesses, long-term medical conditions, hearing/visual impairments, or additional communication needs, and being in a vulnerable situation.

You can apply directly through your supplier or alternatively you can contact our team for support in applying to these registers.