Home Energy Advice Energy Bills and Your Suppliers I can’t afford my energy costs

I Can’t Afford My Energy Costs

Young family with baby using a messaging template to write to their energy supplier

If you’re one of the many people struggling to pay for their heating and electricity, it’s important to know that the situation isn’t hopeless. By law, your energy supplier has to work with you to make sure you can afford to power your home.

Whether you’re struggling to pay your bill or top up your meter, we’ll help you understand how your energy supplier can support you. We’ll also give you the tools you need to speak to your supplier and get a good result.

If you can’t cover your energy costs, you can ask your supplier to come up with a plan you can afford. You can use our free template tool to ask your supplier to set this up.

Energy Debt Issues Template

For more information on how your energy supplier should be helping you, see our Know your rights when speaking to your supplier guide.

It’s also important to make sure you’re getting all the help you’re entitled to when it comes to your energy bills. See our Financial support section to check what support is available.

I can’t afford my energy bill

If you can’t afford to pay your bill, tell your energy supplier as soon as possible. Legally, your energy supplier has to offer a payment plan you can afford.

We’ve put together a guide for speaking to your energy supplier. It goes through what you need to say, step-by-step. It’s easy to follow and will help you get a good result.

Click here for the Speaking to your supplier if you can’t afford your energy bill guide.

Remember: your energy supplier needs to find a solution that works for you.

I can’t afford to top up my meter

If you can’t afford to top up your prepayment meter, tell your energy supplier as soon as possible. They can offer ways to help with energy bils.

Legally, your energy supplier must offer:

Emergency credit
Friendly hours. These are times when you can keep using gas or electricity even if you have run out of credit. Friendly hours run overnight, at weekends, and on public holidays.
Extra support credit if you are vulnerable

Each of these types of credit will need to be repaid. Legally, your energy supplier has to offer you a payment plan you can afford.

Use our helpful step-by-step guide to help you speak to your energy supplier if you can’t afford to top up your meter.

Sign up to hear more from Changeworks

Sign up as an individual to receive monthly tips and tricks straight to your inbox on how to save energy in the home and reduce your bills. Sign up as an organisation for the latest updates from Changeworks and how we’re helping households across Scotland to lower their carbon emissions.

Useful pages

Saving Energy In The Home

Saving energy in the home is good for our pocket and the planet. There are lots of little changes we can make – many costing us nothing at all – that can add up to big savings.

Energy Bills and Your Supplier

From getting to know all the charges that appear on your energy bill to the best ways to find out about your rights, our advice and support can help you take control.

Financial Support

Worried about your energy bills? You don’t have to feel alone. There are a range of support schemes and discounts out there.

Managing Your Heating

The more familiar you are with your heating systems, the better. Use our guides to take control of the heat in your home and use it more efficiently.

Heat Your Home Efficiently

If you’re making decisions about the future of heating your home, we can help. Discover advice on renewable options and available funding.

Grant funding for energy efficiency measures

You may be eligible to receive grant funding from the Scottish Government to install energy efficient measures at your home. Eligibility criteria apply.