I was left without heating and hot water for MONTHS but a little-known grant worth £4,500 saved me
A SINGLE mum of six was left without heating and hot water for MONTHS but was saved by a little-known grant scheme.
Mandeep, 41, from Birmingham, was left living in the dark ages after her boiler broke down forcing her family to use a kettle every time they wanted showers.
She spent seven gruelling months using water from the kettle to fill buckets of water so her six girls, aged between two years-old and 17, were clean for school.
The family were also unable to heat their home, spending cold nights in bed with just a duvet to keep warm.
As Mandeep owns her own home, the responsibility fell on her to fix it, but with no cash to afford a new one, she believed she’d have to make do without for good.
National Energy Action charity estimates that 5.6million people just like her across the UK are living in fuel poverty.
Factors such as the cost of living crisis have meant a greater number of households are struggling to heat their homes or find money for repairs.
Mandeep, who is unemployed, said that she did not ask neighbours or friends for support because she felt too proud.
Speaking to The Sun she said: “I would not want any other family to go through what I did.”
“It was really hard for me and my kids to go through all this, [we had] no [hot] water, no heat and were not able to keep warm [or] able to wash.”
It was only when a healthcare worker visited that Mandeep discovered a little-known scheme that could help her out – and she’s urging others to reach out too.
Help was on hand
The mum-of-six was advised to contact the Direct Access to Wellbeing Services Team (DAWS).
It is a new service set up by gas supplier Cadent and the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Charity.
The pair are offering £2.4million worth of grants to help 100,000 vulnerable healthcare users with financial support over the next two years.
It is currently only available to NHS patients in Birmingham but if the project is successful then it may be rolled out across the wider UK.
And it’s just one example of thousands of little-known schemes across the country that are helping people out.
Households can not apply directly for this support – they need to be referred by their health worker GP, health visitor or nurse.
When the DAWS team receives a referral, an advisor will work through their details in a consultation.
From there, they will know which services they will need support with. This can include:
- Energy efficiency improvements around the home
- White goods like fridges or cookers
- Boiler checks
- Helping people get the benefits they are entitled to
- Support to maximise their income
In some instances, referrals have been actioned within 48 hours but this may not be the case everytime.
Patients and their families can ask about the support by speaking to their health professional.
Mandeep met the criteria to be provided with range of support and was given a new boiler alongside other financial aid totalling around £4,500. That included:
- A slow cooker to make food for £70
- Energy vouchers to heat her home for £70
- A new boiler worth £4k and £120 for the service to be installed
- An electric blanket worth to keep warm
- Food vouchers for shopping worth £100
Mandeep said that after being approved for the scheme she received her boiler within three days and it was also installed in her home free of charge.
What to do if you can't pay your bills
FALLING behind on your energy bills can be extremely stressful.
If you’re struggling to pay what you owe, contact your supplier as soon as possible.
Your provider has to help you come up with a solution, and you should be able to negotiate a deal that works for you both.
One option is to agree a payment plan where you pay off your debts in affordable instalments.
You may be able to pay off your debts directly from your benefits through the Fuel Direct Scheme.
A fixed amount will automatically be taken to cover what you owe plus your usage.
To be eligible, you must be getting one of the following benefits:
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income support
- income-related employment and support allowance
- Pension credit
- Universal Credit (but only if you’re not working)
If you cannot come to an agreement with your supplier, they may try to force you to get a prepayment meter installed.
In very rare cases, where you refuse to negotiate, your supplier might threaten you with disconnection.
It was a weight lifted off her shoulders and has helped transform her family’s life.
She said: “My life is better now..any other family going through this should speak out and not suffer in silence.”
“The DAWS team was amazing and they helped me through the situation”.
How to unlock cash grants
If you are struggling it is worth being aware of online tools which can help you access grants.
For example, Turn2Us has an online tool which checks your elibiglty for over 1,400 grants.
All of the grants do not need to be paid back and the tool will search through the grants and let you know if you qualify.
Each grant is different but they can provide support for a range of different necessities like groceries and even kitchen appliances.
For example, Macmillan Cancer Support offers, one-off grants to people living with cancer who have low incomes and savings.
The Teaching Staff Trust also offers cash grants to those who work in the education sector and face financial difficulty.
The Sun spoke to one mum who used to scheme and was given £1,000 in vouchers to spend at Amazon and the big supermarkets.
Other grants have specific requirements for spending for example a business grant may need to be spent on business expenses.
How to use the grant search tool
First, go to the Turn2Us website and type in Grant Search.
Then look for what’s available specifically in your area by entering your postcode.
You will be asked to give details about yourself, such as your name and gender.
You can also go into more depth by telling Turn2Us about your current health and employment situation.
Once you’ve found a grant you think you’re eligible for, you can put in an inquiry through Turn2Us.
Other grants and schemes
Energy grants
Many gas and energy suppliers offer grants and schemes for customers who are struggling.
For example, British Gas has a fund open to pre-payment meter and credit customers who have found themselves in debt worth up to £1,700.
The Individual and Families Fund was first set up in 2021 to help households struggling with energy debt.
This scheme’s support is available to British Gas and non-British Gas customers.
However, if your provider is Ovo Energy, E.ON Next, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, Octopus Energy or Utilita it asks your go to them for assistance first.
You can check out your eligibility for the scheme here.
Elsewhere, EDF has a customer support fund which on average wipes £1,250 off customers’ bills.
It is available to vulnerable customers experiencing hardship.
To apply, visit EDF’s website and make sure you have details of your account number (find it on your energy bills or EDF emails) and the current debt balance on all EDF accounts you have.
Meanwhile, Octopus Energy offers a range of support, including cash from its Octopus Energy Assist Fund.
It could also include loaning a thermal imagery camera to find heat leaks in your home, which you can fix to reduce energy usage and your bill.
It also conducts home energy visits to discuss how households can reduce their usage and gives out free electric blankets.
Local welfare assistance schemes
Most councils also have local welfare assistance schemes designed to help families in severe financial hardship.
Again, the eligibility criteria varies by council, and how much you can get will depend on your specific circumstances.
Most councils say they will prioritise families who need urgent access to food.
The support you get could be money, vouchers, or referrals to other organisations such as food banks.
Household support fund
You might be able to get help with essential costs from your local council through a programme called the Household Support Fund (HSF).
The funding is designed to help people who are vulnerable or can’t afford to pay for necessities like energy bills, water bills, and food.
Some councils offer food vouchers to families during the school holidays, as well through the scheme.
Eligibility criteria varies by council, so you need to check your local authority’s website to see what’s available and how to apply.
Fuel vouchers
If you’re having difficulty paying your energy bills and use a prepayment meter, or if you use alternative heating sources such as oil, LPG, coal, or wood, you may be eligible for a fuel voucher from your local council.
A fuel voucher gives you credit for your gas and electricity supply without having to pay in advance.
You’ll receive a code in a letter, text message or email which you can use to add the credit.
You can use a fuel voucher at a Post Office, a shop signed up to Payzone or a shop signed up to PayPoint. You’ll need to take the code and a form of ID.