Energy Bills: Tariffs, Meters, Grants and Saving Safely
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
Cutting your energy bill safely comes down to four things: being on a sensible tariff, having a meter that suits you, claiming every payment and grant you are due, and stopping heat leaking out of your home. This section takes each in turn, in plain English.
Where to start
- Check what you are owed. The Winter Fuel Payment, the Warm Home Discount and the Cold Weather Payment each have their own rules, and Scotland has its own versions of some of them. Pension Credit is the key that unlocks much of the other help.
- Join the Priority Services Register. It is free, and it means your supplier and your network company know to give you extra help, for example in a power cut.
- Find your latest bill. It shows the name of your tariff, your unit rates, your standing charges and how much energy you used in the last year. You need those figures before you can compare anything.
How energy bills work, in brief
You pay two things for each fuel. The unit rate is the price of each kilowatt hour (kWh) of gas or electricity you use. The standing charge is a fixed daily amount you pay whether you use any energy or not. In England, Scotland and Wales the regulator, Ofgem, sets a price cap that limits both for people on standard variable tariffs. It does not cap your total bill: use more and you pay more. Northern Ireland has its own market and its own regulator, the Utility Regulator, and the Ofgem cap does not apply there.
Other help worth knowing about
Most large suppliers run hardship funds for customers in difficulty, and councils run local welfare schemes. At the time of writing (November 2026), Citizens Advice also lists some temporary government help with bills for this winter. These measures change from year to year, so check its page for what applies to you now instead of relying on what a neighbour received last year.
To see what an appliance really costs to run at your own unit rate, use our running cost calculator. For the wider picture on what you can claim, see the benefits checklist.
Guides in this section
- Choosing an energy tariff — what the price cap does and does not do, fixed versus variable deals, and how to compare and switch.
- Smart meters — what they do, how the in-home display works, whether you can say no, and what to do when one goes wrong.
- Prepayment meters — emergency credit, fuel vouchers, and the rules that protect older and vulnerable customers from forced installation.
- Boiler and heating grants — the schemes open in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and who they are for.
- Insulation grants — free or part-funded loft, cavity and solid wall insulation, and how to avoid rogue installers.
- Energy-saving tips — the changes that make a real difference in an older household, without going cold.
- Heating oil, LPG and off-grid homes — oil clubs, buying well, tank checks and the help available.
Common questions
Who do I complain to about my energy supplier?
Complain to the supplier first, in writing if you can. If it is not sorted out within eight weeks, or you reach deadlock, you can take it to the Energy Ombudsman, which is free. Citizens Advice can help you at any stage.
Is there a special energy tariff for pensioners?
No. There is no pensioner tariff. Help in later life comes through payments such as the Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount, and through extra services on the Priority Services Register, not through a cheaper unit rate.
Does any of this apply in Northern Ireland?
The payments are broadly similar, but the energy market, the regulator and the grant schemes are different. Each guide in this section says where the rules differ. See also over-60s in Northern Ireland.