Social Tariffs

Social Tariffs

If you find it difficult to pay your bills, your energy company may be able to lower your gas and electricity bills. This is known as a ‘social tariff’.

You may qualify for a social tariff if you pay more than 10% of your household income towards your energy bills and/or are on benefits. Ring your energy company and ask them what social tariffs they might be able to offer you.

Examples of what energy companies can provide include:

Ebico

Ebico is the UK’s only not-for-profit energy supplier. It aims to provide affordable energy to everyone. The company was set up in 1998 and has no shareholders. It supplies gas and electricity at fair rates to all its customers, whatever their circumstances, income or method of payment.

You can call Ebico on 0800 458 7689 to find out more, or apply online.

The following information has been taken from the Consumer Focus webite

British Gas - Essentials Combined

British Gas' essentials tariff has been relaunched and now includes three different packages to assist specific customer groups.

The Social Tariff version called Essentials Combined is aimed at vulnerable and low income consumers.

The package includes:

Customised customer services
Dedicated helpline
Extra care flag
Quality of life assessment
Charity partner referrals
ESR assessment
Free insulation and CERT products
Account assessment
Benefits health check
Referral to Money Advice Trust/BGET

To be elligible consumers must have an income of less than £15,000 per year and must be either on a non-means tested benefit, or be over 70 on pensions credit, or suffer from a terminal illness.

The tariff is equalised with British Gas' lowest tariff the dual fuel WebSaver 3. This means that it is on average 16% cheaper than the standard tariffs, and could save consumers an average of £188 per year.

All existing Essentials customers have been transferred to the Essentials Combined social tariff.

For more information click here or phone British Gas on 0800 072 5230. If you are a Pre Pay customer, you should call 0800 294 8604

EDF Energy - Energy Assist

Energy Assist is the social tariff from EDF Energy.

Energy Assist is a social tariff for households experiencing fuel poverty. In 2006, EDF Energy took steps to protect vulnerable customers with the launch of their social tariff. EDF have committed to offering a social tariff until at least 2012, they re-launched Energy Assist in May 2009.

Key benefits of Energy Assist:

• a discount off standard gas and electricity prices
• free energy efficiency advice
• free or discounted energy efficiency measures
• free benefits entitlement check

Energy Assist is only available to customers who meet the following qualification criteria.

• Spend more than 10% of their total net annual household income on their annual household energy costs; or

• Be in receipt of ;
- Income Support and /or
- Pension Credit benefits

To find out more about Energy Assist tariff please call 0800 269 450

Further information on the assistance available to EDF Energy customers.

npower - Spreading Warmth Tariff

The Spreading Warmth Tariff is npower's social tariff and is their cheapest tariff regardless of payment method. The tariff currently offers average annual savings compared to their standard prices of over 20% for the dual fuel cash / cheque and prepayment customer.* The eligibility for the tariff is that a customer has a gross annual household income below £13,500 and someone in the household is: 60 or over, disabled, chronically sick, or a child under 16.

* Based on annual notional consumption of 3,300 kWh for electricity, 20,500 kWh for gas, paying by receipt of bill or prepayment.

If you are eligible then contact npower free on 0808 172 6999. Access to the Tariff is subject to availability.

npower - First Step Scheme

npower’s First Step Scheme offers advice and help if you're struggling to pay your npower bills. The scheme offers:

Advice about paying npower bills

First Step advisors will work with consumers on a one-on-one basis to help them manage their energy bills. The advisors will set up a payment plan that suits the consumers circumstances, and provide advice on how to save energy and money around the home.

First Step Fund

Some consumers may be eligible for help from the First Step Fund, which could clear all or part of the debt owed. If elligible the debt will be placed on hold for an agreed period of time, as long as the consumer commits to a payment plan and doesnt default on payments. After an agreed period of time (no less than six months) the First Step fund may write off all, or some, of a consumers debt. If the consumer is in quite a lot of debt we may clear it in several instalments - as long as regular payments are maintained.

For more information about the First Step scheme please contact npower's Warm Response Line on telephone 0808 172 6999, textphone 0800 413 016 or click here.

E.ON WarmAssist social product

Up to 15% discount on standard electricity and gas prices
To qualify you must be an existing E.ON customer, aged 60 or above and in receipt of Pension Credit, Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance. You can find out if you are eligible for E.ON WarmAssist by calling 0800 404 6287

For more information please look at E.on's web site by clicking here.

Scottish Power - Fresh Start

Fresh Start is Scotticsh Power's social tariff and is their cheapest tariff regardless of payment method.

To qualify for the discount you must be:
1. 60 years of age or over
2. In receipt of one of the following benefits:

Attendance Allowance
Council Tax Benefit (not including single occupancy discount)
Disability Living Allowance
Disabled Persons Tax Allowance
Child Tax Credit (where income is less than £15,460)
Housing Benefit
Income-based JSA
State Pension Credit
Working Tax Credit (where household income is less than £15,592)
War Disablement Pension (which either includes a mobility supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance)
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (must also have a Constant Attendance Allowance)

As a Fresh Start customer you may also be able to benefit from free energy efficiency measures, and can benefit from free energy efficiency advice and a free benefits health check.

For more information, please phone Scottish Power on 0800 408 1644 or click here.

Scottish and Southern Energy - Energyplus Care

Energyplus Care is a special tariff for existing consumers of Scottish and Southern Energy. (you may know this company better by the names Southern Electric, Scottish Hydro Electric, or SWALEC).

If you’re spending over 15% of your household income on fuel costs then you may qualify for the energyplus Care tariff. This is their social tariff and will be the lowest cost tariff in your region. It gives a reduction of up to 20%, no matter how you pay your bills.

Whatever you qualify for, their trained advisers will also be able to help you with:

Free energy efficiency advice to help you save more money on future bills.
Free benefit entitlement check.
Advice on grants available.
Free energy efficiency measures. For example, you could qualify for a free A-rated fridge or a discounted A-rated fridge/freezer.

For more information or help with your application, please call us on 0800 300 111.

More information is available from Scottish and Southern Electric.