Home Heat Helpline

Have you heard about the Home Heat Helpline?

The Home Heat Helpline is a free, national phone helpline (0800 33 66 99) offering practical advice on energy provision and providing access to free home insulation, reduced tariffs and other financial support for families living on a low income, the elderly, and those with disabilities or long term health conditions.

The Home Heat Helpline is open 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays.

Help is available through:

Grants for free home insulation
Reduced tariffs (sometimes known as social tariffs)
Trust fund and winter rebates (which are available from some energy suppliers to help pay back fuel debt)
The Priority Service Register – a special service for elderly or disabled people and those living with long-term health conditions. This includes bills in easy-to-read larger text or in Braille, as well as security passwords and a free annual gas safety check
The disconnection safety net which prevents vulnerable customers from being cut off if they can’t pay their bills on time
A benefits entitlement cheque

How can you help others?

If there is someone you are worried about, you can call the Home Heat Helpline to access help on their behalf. You could also pass on a leaflet about the helpline to anyone who you think could benefit and encourage them to call the number. Leaflets are available from our Family Action services.

'It was nice to talk to someone who understood'

The Home Heat Helpline helps families every year, so why not give them a call and see how they can help you. You may benefit from this service like Kizzy Sheehan, 23-year-old single mother from Leeds, who called the service for help and now lives comfortably, knowing that her children will always be warm at home. Here she tells her story:

“Before I spoke to the Home Heat Helpline I didn’t know where to turn. My bills were out of control and I was in serious debt with the energy company. I ignored the problem for a long time, but when I tried to do something about it I had a really frustrating time trying to talk to someone properly.

The Home Heat Helpline listened to me and understood me – it was nice to talk to someone who did. They sorted everything out for me and spoke to the energy company on my behalf. They took a lot of stress and worry away.

As a single mum with young kids it’s a struggle to get by and I know a lot of young people like me find it hard to ask for help. The Home Heat Helpline were extremely helpful – they organised insulation for me, arranged with the council to get the old windows replaced, stopped the interest on my debts and set me up on a payment plan.

It’s changed our lives. Now I know when I get up that the kids can have their baths, I can have the heating on in the evening and I don’t have to worry about it cutting out.

I would definitely say to other people to ring the Home Heat Helpline –especially younger people. It’s not just for old people. It’s only a phone call and it’s not going to cost you anything, so why not?”

If you would like an adviser to call you back at a suitable time to discuss your issue and help you to access free home insulation, reduced or 'social' tariffs and other specialist help from their energy supplier, please visit the online enquiries page at the Home Heat Helpline website.

For more information or to request a leaflet please call 0800 33 66 99 or visit the Home Heat Helpline.