Help paying your energy bills after a bereavement

A change in your income or living situation might mean you’re able to claim other benefits which you weren’t able to before. See our information on managing your money after a bereavement.

If your husband, wife or partner has died, you may be able to claim bereavement benefits for 18 months afterwards. The total amount can range from around £4,300 – £9,800. See our information on bereavement benefits.

You may also be able to apply for one-off or annual payments to help with energy costs, such as the Winter Fuel Payment or Warm Home Discount.

Local councils might offer help with bills under schemes called "welfare assistance" or "household support". Find your local council and check their website to see what they offer.

You may be able to apply for grants or one-off payments. These are sometimes offered by energy companies or charities. They might be given based on your income, where you live or a job you have done in the past.

• Citizens Advice have information on Grants and benefits to help you pay your energy bills.
• Turn2Us have a grants search tool. 

If you were not born in the UK, the types of support you may not be able to apply for some of the above support.

• Visit Turn2Us’s information for migrants.

Benefits can be complicated, and it can be hard to understand what you can apply for and how. If you need some support:

• See Citizens Advice information on help paying energy bills.
• National Energy Action’s Helpline can also offer advice on 0800 304 7159.

It is not unusual for people to feel they need to borrow money or use credit cards in the time around a bereavement. This might be because their income has gone down, or costs related to your bereavement have gone up.

If you feel you need to borrow to pay bills such as energy and water bills, you are not alone. However, it is not a good idea to take out credit to pay for essential items if you can help it.

Your energy provider must, by law, support people who are vulnerable, including if you are bereaved. They should offer you a payment plan, advice and signpost you to other financial schemes, assistance and support, if you're struggling to pay your bills.

We know having debt can be really worrying and stressful for people, especially when they are dealing with grief. Take a look at our information on managing money after a bereavement to find support to deal with debt.

It is unlikely that your supplier will cut off your gas or electricity supply. If you have unpaid bills, your supplier will usually offer you a pre-payment meter or a payment plan.

If you do agree to a pre-payment meter, keep in mind that this can lead to your supply being cut off in the future if you run out of credit. So think about this decision carefully, especially if you have vulnerable people or children in the home.

Your water supply cannot legally be cut off if you do not pay.

Citizen's Advice have information on disconnections for England, Scotland and Wales. For Northern Ireland see NI Direct.