Fuel poverty
A household is said to be in fuel poverty if its required fuel costs are above the national average or if the household is left below the official poverty line after paying for fuel.
There are grants and schemes available to help you cover the costs of your fuel bills.
The energy regulator OFGEM provides information on what to do if you cannot afford your energy bills, visit the OFGEM website to find out more.
Help for Households
See what Government support is available to help with the cost of living and find out how to save money with energy saving tips.
Water debt
More information on how you can manage your water debt can be found on National Debt Line.
For customers who are supplied by Wessex Water Help paying your bill.
Where Bristol Water is your supplier Struggling To Pay (bristolwater.co.uk).
Food and furniture
If you are struggling with the cost of food, our customer support team can advise on food bank assistance.
You can also find community fridges in Frome and Trowbridge.
For furniture or items for your home, contact:
The National Databank
It’s increasingly essential to be online. The National Databank is like a food bank but for mobile data, offering free SIM cards for people who can’t access the internet.
Find out more about The National Databank.
Social tariffs for broadband
The broadband market offers customers a wide range of choices, with different deals available to suit different needs
For more information visit Ofcom.
Winter fuel allowances
Warm Home Discount Scheme
This is funded by the government but run by your own energy provider. It is available to customers who get the ‘Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit’ or are on a low income and meet their energy suppliers criteria for the scheme.
The scheme can provide up to a £140 one-off reduction on electricity bills.
Visit Warm Home Discount Scheme (gov.uk) to find out more.
Cold Weather Payment
Additional payment can be accessed if temperatures fall below a certain level. This is run the same way as the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
Visit Cold Weather Payment (gov.uk) to find out more.
Surviving Winter campaign
This is run by the Wiltshire Community Foundation and is a fund made up of donations by customers of state pension age who do not require their fuel allowance.
A partner agency will need to make the application on your behalf (Selwood Housing is no longer a partner agency).
Visit Surviving Winter (wiltshirecf.org.uk) to find out more.
