Grants and Funding
1. Crisis and Resilience Fund: Oil Heating Support Scheme
If you rely on heating oil and are struggling with the recent price rise, you may be able to apply for a one-off payment of £300 to help with the cost. Please see Crisis and Resilience Fund - Kent County Council for more details.
2. Energy Financial Support
If you are experiencing financial difficulty and paying your energy bill is a concern, there is help available.
Your energy supplier has a legal duty to offer financial assistance, and there are various sources of advice, and funding providers, to reach out to.
Utility companies offer help to customers who have large arrears on their gas, electricity or water bills. Some companies can also financially contribute to energy related costs such as white goods to heating repairs through ‘Further Assistance Payments’. See if your energy provider can offer you some help: · The British Gas Energy Trust · EDF Energy Trust · E.on Next Energy Fund · Scottish Power Hardship Fund · Ovo Energy Fund
Your energy company may not be listed here, but you will be able to find their contact details on your most recent bill, or on their website.
3. Warm Homes Discount
The UK Government's Warm Home Discount scheme can provide up to £150 off your energy bill over winter.
The money is not paid to you - it’s a one-off discount applied to your electricity bill between early October 2026 and 31 March 2027.
You’ll usually get the discount automatically if you’re eligible. Learn more about the Warm Home Discount scheme here.
4. Cold Weather Payment
If you claim certain benefits, you could get £25 for each consecutive 7-day period where the average temperature in your area is 0°C or below. Learn more about the Cold Weather Payment here.
5. Winter Fuel Payment
If you were born before 28 June 1960 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2026 to 2027
Most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they’re eligible. If you’re eligible, you’ll get a letter in October or November saying how much you’ll get.
If you do not get a letter but you think you’re eligible, check if you need to make a claim. Learn more about Winter Fuel Payments here.
6. Fuel Direct
If you wish, you could have your energy bill paid directly out of any benefits you may claim: This could also help you pay back any debt to the provider. Learn more about Fuel Direct at GOV.UK. Please visit Help for Households - Get government cost of living support and find out more information on what support is available to help with the cost of living.
South-East Water- help paying your water bill
If you're struggling to pay your water bill, South-East Water have a range of tariffs or options that will help with the costs and make your payments more manageable.
What support can I get?
· Is your household income less than £18,005 (not including any disability or housing benefits)?
· Are you in receipt of a qualifying benefit and have either:
· Three or more children under the age of 19 living at home? Or:
· Someone in your household has a medical condition that means you need to use more water?
· Do you live alone or in a bedsit or sheltered accommodation?
If the answer is yes to any of these questions and you find yourself struggling to pay your water bill, have any money worries or receive benefits there are lots of ways South-East Water can help. Call South-East Water on 0800 952 4000 (Monday to Friday between 8am - 7pm) for confidential advice and support. Visit South-East Water for more information here- Help paying your water bill | South East Water
7. Energy top-up grant
Grant of up to £10,000 are available for low-income homeowner with low EPC rating to improve their home’s energy performance.
Eligible energy efficiency improvements:
· Air source heat pumps
· Solar panels
· Boiler upgrade
Eligibility
You may be eligible if you meet all of the following:
1) You live in a house with EPC rating of D or lower (D, E, F, G)
2) You are an owner occupier and lived in the property for at least 3 years
3) You are on low-income and in receipt of means-tested benefit including:
· Council Tax Support
· Housing Benefit
· Income Support
· Pension Credit
· Universal Credit
Conditions
· 50% non-repayable grant
· 50% repayable grant which will be registered as a local land charge and will be required to be repaid on sale or transfer of the property.
For more information, please email energy@maidstone.gov.uk
8. Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The government is providing grants to encourage property owners to install low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps, through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). These grants can help property owners overcome the upfront cost of low carbon heating technologies.
The scheme is open to domestic and small non-domestic properties in England and Wales. You can get one grant per property. Current grants are available for:
· £7,500 towards an air source heat pump
· £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
· £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
You cannot get a grant for a hybrid heat pump system (for example a combination of gas boiler and air source heat pump). Learn more about Boiler Upgrade Scheme at GOV.UK.
9. Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant
The EV chargepoint grant provides funding of up to 75%, up to a maximum of £500 towards the cost of installing electric vehicle smart chargepoints at domestic properties across the UK. Only landlords and individuals who own or rent a flat can apply for this grant. Learn more about EV Chargepoint Grant at GOV.UK.
10. Sustainable Warmth
Sustainable Warmth is a new government grant scheme designed to fund energy-efficiency upgrades to residents who are most likely to be impacted by the high cost of rising bills. These improvements will help residents to use less energy and spend less on their energy bills.
How it helps:
· energy saving tech and upgrades installed by approved installers
· creating warmer, healthier homes
· helping to cut carbon emissions
· funding available for homes on and off the gas grid
The grant will cover a range of energy-saving home improvements designed to balance the needs of residents with carbon reduction and grant availability.
Eligible energy saving improvements:
· Insulation and ventilation upgrades
· An upgrade to a low carbon heating system (the new heating system cannot include a gas or oil boiler)
· Heating controls
· Solar PV (that generates free electricity)
· Energy efficient lighting
The funding
EON is the supply partner and will manage the process and the contractors undertaking the work are either Baxter Kelly and IZ Energy.
The exact amount and eligible works available is dependent on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and the fuel source that heats the home currently (the EPC can be determined by the programme if it is unknown).
Privately rented properties
To qualify the tenant must meet the income eligibility and the landlord will need to contribute a minimum of one third towards the cost of the upgrades in addition to the grant provided.
If overall costs exceed the maximum grant available, additional investment by the landlord will be required. Costs and the contributions expected from the landlord will be agreed prior to commencement of work.
Eligibility
1. The household must be a private domestic dwelling in England with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, F or G. If your property’s EPC is unknown, it can be determined by the programme. To check your EPC rating visit Find an energy certificate on GOV.UK.
2. The household must have either:
· a household income of no more than £30,000 (before tax or any other deductions)
· an income where cost of living is below £20,000 (i.e. after rent or mortgage costs), or
· a household composition (e.g. number of dependents) which stretches income to a position where they would be in fuel poverty. Please check your eligibility through the online application form.
If you prefer to phone, please call EON on 0333 202 4859.