Paying for your gas, electricity and water

Energy Price Guarantee

The Energy Price Guarantee limits the unit rates for gas and electricity you can be charged by your supplier. Your exact bill amount will continue to be influenced by how much energy you use. There is no “cap” on the overall bill - only on the price of each unit used.

This measure is in addition to the other support available for your energy bills which you can find out more below.

Based on guidance from the Energy Price Guarantee, a typical household in Great Britain will pay an average £2,500 a year on their energy bill, for the next two years, from 1 October 2022. A detached home will pay an average £3,300 a year, a semi-detached home £2,650 and a flat between £1,750-1,950. These figures are a guide based on typical energy use.

You do not need to apply and there is no need to contact your energy supplier.

Energy Bills Support Scheme

Households will get £400 of support with their energy bills through an expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

As well as doubling the £200 of support announced earlier this year, the full £400 payment will now be made as a grant, which will not be recovered through higher bills in future years.

Energy suppliers will deliver this support to households with a domestic electricity meter over six months from October 2022. Direct debit and credit customers will have the money credited to their account, while customers with pre-payment meters will have the money applied to their meter or paid via a voucher.

For more information visit the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

Pensioner Cost-of-Living Payment

Pensioner households will receive an extra £300 this year to help cover the rising cost of energy this winter. The Winter Fuel Payment (including the extra Pensioner Cost-of-Living Payment) is not taxable and does not affect eligibility for other benefits

Cold Weather Payment

Cold Weather Payments are different to Winter Fuel Payments. You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest.

You’ll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over 7 consecutive days.

You’ll get £25 for each 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. The scheme will start on 1 November 2022.

You’ll be able to check if your area is due a payment in November 2022 by visiting the Cold Weather Payment webpage.

Your energy supplier can help

Your energy supplier can work with you to agree a payment plan so do contact your supplier as soon as you can if you are worried about paying your energy bills.

More information about how to do this can be found on the Ofgem website:

Other help with fuel bills

  • Warm Home Discount Scheme – You may be eligible for a £150 rebate on your winter electricity bills – this scheme is expected to reopen in November 2022.

Pre-payment meters

Customers with prepayment meters who are struggling to top up their meter should contact their supplier immediately to discuss options.

Moving from pre-payment to a credit meter

If you have an old-style prepayment meter, you can ask your energy supplier to replace it with either an old-style credit meter or a smart meter. Learn how to on the Citizens Advice website.

For more information about help with your energy bills see Help with your energy bills - Help for Households.

Thames Water can provide a 50 per cent discount on your water bill if your household income is below £20,111. Find out more about their WaterHelp scheme.

Improve energy efficiency to save money

Energy efficiency measures – such as insulation and double glazing – create a barrier between hot and cool spaces. This means they not only keep your home warmer in winter, but also cooler in summer. Find out how to improve the energy efficiency of your home, or visit the Simple Energy Advice page for more articles on how to cut your bills and keep your home comfortable.

Grants of up to £25, 000 are now available for eligible Surrey residents to help make their homes warmer and more energy efficient.  

Sustainable Warmth grant scheme

People living in hard to heat homes and on lower incomes could receive grants between £10,000 and £25,000 to improve insulation and install renewable technology, helping to save energy, reduce emissions and combat rising energy prices. Improvement measures include loft insulation, cavity and external wall insulation, underfloor insulation and renewables, such as solar electricity panels.

Action Surrey will be administering the grants. To find out if you are eligible contact them here: 

Action Surrey offers free impartial energy advice and is a partnership of all local councils across Surrey, helping to reach as many residents as possible. Action Surrey also manages a network of local trusted installers, who can install a variety of measures.