Struggling to pay your bills? We can help

We know that everybody is different, so we’ll do our best to work with you to find a solution that’s right for you. You can reach us on the phone 02920 100346 or by using our website live chat.

• We’ll give you some Breathing Space if you need it
• We can take a look at your account to see if you’re on the most suitable way to pay for you
• We’ll work with you to see if a payment plan would help
• We can make sure you’re registered for our Priority Services if you’re eligible
• We can give you information about where to get expert support and advice

It’s important to remember that your daily standing charge is applied to your account even if you’re not using any heat or hot water, just like a traditional gas or electricity supply.

If you need a bit of time to get back on your feet, we might be able to pause your payments for a short while.

If you’ve had a change in personal circumstances that’s had an unexpected impact on your income, such as illness, redundancy, or bereavement, you may be eligible. Just give us a call.

We know that one size doesn’t fit all, that’s why we offer a number of different ways to pay.

• Monthly fixed direct debit – pay the same amount each month
• Variable direct debit – pay for what you use each month, although you’re likely to have higher bills in winter and lower bills in summer which may not suit everyone
• Online or phone payment – pay when your bill arrives each month. It’s worth remembering though that you’re likely to have higher bills in winter and lower ones in the summer and you need to remember to pay them each month
• Pay As You Go – if it’s available in your home, you can pay in advance for you heat which can be a useful budgeting tool

A payment plan can help spread the cost of your heat and hot water over flexible payment periods to make it more manageable. We’ll work with you to understand what you can afford, some of each payment will go towards what you owe and some of it towards the heat and hot water you’re currently using.

For independent specialist advice and support regarding your finances you can contact the following companies.

General money, legal and consumer support.

03444 111 444
citizensadvice.org.uk

Free, independent debt advice:

0800 138 1111
stepchange.org

For debt advice and tools for managing budgets.

0800 138 7777
moneyadviceservice.org.uk

www.debtadvicefoundation.org
0800 043 4050

While we’ll do all we can to help, you do need to pay for the heat and hot water you use.

If you have an outstanding balance we will send reminders and, if you don’t get in touch, we will continue to contact you about the money you owe. We may contact you by phone, text message, email or letter.

If you don’t get in touch to make a plan or make a payment we may:

• Ask a debt collection agency to contact or visit you
• Ask the County Court to issue a claim against you
• Switch you to Pay As You Go or
• Disconnect your heat and hot water

We’ll let you know before we do any of the above.

If we ask a debt collection agency to get in touch with you about your outstanding balance you’ll need to contact them using the details they give you.

We will only use agencies regulated by the Office of Fair Trading and if you’re unhappy with the way they work, please let us know.

Warm Home Discount – you could get money off your bills with this Government Led scheme. For more information, please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

Winter Fuel Payment  – If you were born on or before 25 September 1956 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills. This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’. For more information, please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment