Lower fuel bills
We want you to be able to keep yourself warm at home and minimise costs at a time when energy prices are rising.
Help is available from your energy supplier if you’re struggling. We've also trained our employees you come into contact with, so they can offer you guidance. And we have various grants and other support that may help.
You will lots of useful links on this page or, if you would like to speak to someone today about saving energy and money, get in touch with us.
Fuel bills
With energy prices soaring globally, the impact of price rises will depend on your energy supplier and tariff.
- If you’re on a fixed price tariff, the price you pay per unit of energy won’t change until the end of your fixed rate period.
- If you’re on a variable tariff or prepayment meter, there's an upper limit on the maximum price your supplier can charge you per unit of energy but this has risen substantially over the past few years.
The government has announced a range of support to help with the rising cost of living and an energy price cap is also in place. Find out more about this and what cost of living support you could be eligible for on the government's Help For Households 
webpage. (Our own cost of living support page also includes a summary of government and council support plus lots more information and local offers.)
Here’s some extra helpful advice about energy suppliers and fuel bills from one of our partners, Tenants Save Money Limited.
- Contact your supplier as soon as possible. Most have hardship funds and support available for low income and fuel-poor households who are struggling with their bills.
- Gas and electricity companies cannot cut off your supply unless they have first offered you a range of payment methods to help you pay. They must only disconnect your supply as a last resort and they must give you proper notice first. Ask for ‘emergency credit’ if you use a prepay meter and you can’t top up.
- If you’re a vulnerable person, ask your energy provider to put you on the Priority Services Register. This gives you things like advance notice for planned power cuts (important if you rely on your energy supply for medical reasons) and priority support in an emergency.
- If your energy supplier goes out of business , Ofgem will appoint a new supplier and your supply won’t be disrupted. Take a meter reading, don’t switch, wait for Ofgem to choose a new supplier (this way any credit you have will be moved across) and wait for the new supplier to contact you. You can then switch to another supplier if you prefer.
- Find out more, including other payment plans, schemes, grants and benefits on the Ofgem website .
Help with other household bills and costs
We have an arrangement with Pocket Power, a telephone triage service that can help you save money on your household bills. This looks at more than just gas and electric - including water, sewerage, broadband and mobile phones.
If you’re struggling with your fuel bills, contact fidi@sng.org.uk or get in touch with your usual Sovereign contact (such as an customer accounts officer or customer income adviser if you’re working with one) to access the Pocket Power service and get other advice and support.
Our managing your money page also gives links to other resources to help you manage your household outgoings and make savings or find out about our two money and digital grants and help getting online.
Help with budgeting, debt advice and more
Our Financial and Digital Inclusion Service is here to help you with money matters, support to access digital equipment or if you find it hard to use the internet.
Budgeting training - We can offer support if you’re looking for ways to make your money go further. Maybe you always find yourself short at the end of the month or struggle to make your money stretch to cover everything you need in a month. We can support you with this by giving you skills and tips all on how to make the most of your budget. Budgeting is a one to one training course delivered remotely through ‘We are Digital’ . It provides up to three sessions of 2.5 hours training, tailored your individual needs.
Debt advice - We know it can feel very overwhelming when you’re struggling with paying your bills at the same time as already having debt that you’re trying to pay back. We can support you with completely free and independent debt advice and help you to find a solution that is right for you. This service is designed to help you see a future in which you are free from debt and able to enjoy a less stressful life. If you'd like us to refer you to this service, please email fidi@sng.org.uk.
Energy theft is dangerous – it costs lives, causes injuries, and destroys homes every year.
Meter tampering (or meter cheating) involves altering or bypassing a meter, so it doesn’t record full energy usage. This might seem like a shortcut to just save money, but it poses enormous safety risks to everyone nearby.
- Gas meters: Damaging a gas meter can cause leaks, turning a room into a potential explosion. Even a small spark - like switching on a light, can ignite the gas, endangering everyone inside.
- Electricity meters: Tampering with an electricity meter can cause appliances to become live, leading to electric shocks, burns, fires, and overheating - putting everyone in the building at risk.
For more information on spotting gas and electrical meter tampering, please visit the Crimestoppers website .
If you suspect anyone of energy theft, you can report it anonymously by calling 0800 023 2777 or using the Stay Energy Safe online form and help prevent the risk of harm.
Other useful tips
Our tips for looking after your home include what to do if your electric goes off and getting the best out of your storage heaters, advice on getting to know your heating system (including bleeding a radiator and dealing with boiler problems) and plumbing (including stopcocks, avoiding frozen pipes - and what to do if they are frozen).