Money and energy advice in the community

12th April 2024

Specialist advisors have once again been visiting Post Offices across Britain to talk about the support available to help manage money and energy bills.

Everyone is entitled to help and advice when they need it. But not everyone has access to the internet, especially some of the most vulnerable households.

Thanks to our long term partner the Post Office, who kindly agreed to host us and British Gas Energy Trust (the Trust) funded organisations. We set up pop-up events in towns and cities across the UK to provide specialist energy debt advice and support to people in their local communities.

Local support at the Post Office

Since May 2022, we've set up around 178 in-person pop-ups in 95 locations from Saint Leonards-on-Sea to the Scottish Isles. We’ve provided thousands of people with step-by-step money and energy advice, checking benefits entitlement, and providing energy saving tips as well as follow up appointments for more in depth conversations. And we’ve reached millions of people to help raise awareness of the support available through local, national and social media.

But we know there’s more to be done and we’re busy planning our next activity. We hope to be back working alongside the Post Office and the Trust to help more households get specialist money advice local to them very soon.

In the meantime, if you’re struggling with your bills, you can download our leaflet to find out where all the British Gas Energy Trust funded charities are. You can also help us by sharing the leaflet on social media if you feel comfortable so more people can access support.
 

Raising awareness of the support available for energy debt

Stephen Manderson, also known as Professor Green - musician and mental health advocate, is an ambassador of the Trust. Professor Green has been helping us to spread the word about the support available through the Trust and encouraging people to access the help they’re entitled to.

He has first-hand experience of the fear and anxiety an upcoming energy bill can have on families, having grown up with his grandmother who struggled to pay her household bills.

Hear from people the British Gas Energy Trust have already helped

Professor Green speaks to Farzana and Victoria about their experience of energy debt and how the Trust was able to help.

Who are the British Gas Energy Trust?

The British Gas Energy Trust, incorporating the Scottish Gas Energy Trust¹ is an independent charitable Trust funded solely by donations from British Gas. The Trust contributes to supporting those in financial difficulty, with a focus on energy debt. The Trust can help vulnerable households no matter who the energy supplier is.

Since 2004 over £175m² has been donated to the Trust to help those most in need. And to help with high energy costs, British Gas has increased its support for customers with the UK’s biggest ever energy support package.

How does the Trust help?

The Trust funds charitable organisations to provide fuel debt advice services directly to local communities. You can find a list of Trust-funded organisations and links to other advice agencies who might be able to help on the Trust’s Fuel and money advice page.

Marking 20 years of the Trust

For the past 20 years, the British Gas Energy Trust has supported more than 2.2 million³ people with energy debt grants, funded money and energy advice services, set up Post Office Pop-ups and provided online budgeting tools. 

To mark 20 years of the Trust, British Gas are donating £20 million, taking the total contribution since launching the Trust in 2004 to over £200 million. This additional donation will ensure help is available in the years to come.

Support available from your energy supplier

If keeping up with your energy bills is getting difficult, or you owe money to your supplier, then they do want to help. You may be able to pay what you owe by instalments as part of a payment plan. Check with your supplier to see what support you might be able to get.

If you’re a British Gas customer

We know it's not always easy to pay your bill – and that everyone's circumstances are different. Don’t suffer in silence if you’re struggling, talk with us and we'll do everything we can to support you.

Useful information

• Energy price cap - find out the latest news and what the government’s Energy Price Cap Guarantee means for you.
• Average bill guide - how much you pay depends on your property size, lifestyle and the number of people living there. See how your energy usage and costs compare with a typical household.
• Energy saving advice – We can all take steps to reduce energy use in our homes. Understanding how much appliances use can help us use them more efficiently.