Does British Gas Offer A Special Tariff If You Are Disabled?

If you are a British Gas customer interested in learning whether a special tariff is offered by the energy supplier for disabled customers, you will find the answer to your question in the following blog post. In addition to this, we will also explore other ways of finding financial support if you are unable to pay your gas bill.

Does British Gas Offer A Special Tariff If You Are Disabled?

No, British Gas does not offer a special tariff if you are disabled. British Gas is one of the UK’s leading energy suppliers, and they are committed to supporting disabled customers in a number of ways.

They have a dedicated team of customer support advisors who are trained to deal with enquiries from disabled customers. They also offer a range of products and services that are designed to meet the needs of disabled customers, such as energy efficiency advice, bill management assistance, and adaptations to gas and electricity meters.

British Gas is also a member of Disability Rights UK, and they work closely with a number of other organisations to campaign for the rights of disabled people in the UK.

However, the British Gas Energy Trust (an independent charity that helps families dealing with energy debt) can provide financial assistance to individuals who are on a low income due to their disability and have energy debt (unpaid bills). 

The British Gas Energy Support Fund is available for British Gas customers who have energy debt between £250 and £1500, the debt applies to their primary residence, and the applicants live in England, Scotland or Wales.

You can also apply for a British Gas Energy Trust grant through the Individuals and Family Fund if you are on a low income due to a disability and have savings below £1,000. You don’t necessarily have to be a British Gas customer to apply for the grant.

How Else Can You Get Help To Pay Your Gas Bill?

You can get help from the UK Government if you need financial assistance to pay your gas bills. Some of the ways through which individuals can seek Government support during the energy and cost of living crisis include the following:

• You can apply for a Discretionary Support Fund through your local council office.
• If you claim means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, Income-based Job Seekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit or Pension Credit you will receive (if you have not received already) payment of £900 in the form of instalments to help you with your cost of living.
• If you are a pensioner (above State Pension age), you will receive a payment of £300 to help you pay your energy bills.
• If you are disabled and claiming a disability benefit such as Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment,
• Constant Attendance Allowance or War Pension Mobility Supplement, you will get a payment of £150 from the Government.

What Should You Do If You Can’t Pay Your Gas Bill?

If you can’t afford to pay your gas bill, you should inform your gas supplier. If you are a British Gas customer, you can call them at 0333 202 9804 and seek help if you’re struggling to pay for your energy.

Depending on your circumstances and the amount of gas bill that you need to pay, your gas supplier may be able to offer you the following solutions:

• conduct a review of your payments and debt repayments
• offer payment breaks or reductions (where possible) 
• extend the due date for payments and offer you more time to pay
• provide access to hardship funds or advise you on how to gain access to them
• provide advice on how to use less energy to reduce your energy bills in the future

You can also seek financial assistance through charities and grants if you are struggling to pay your gas bills.

Conclusion:

The above discussion makes it clear that while British Gas does not offer any special tariff for disabled customers, there are many other options to avail especially if someone is on a low income due to their disability. There are different Government schemes that one can benefit from or seek financial support through charities and grants if they are unable to afford their gas bill.

References:

Help with your energy bills | Disability charity Scope UK

British Gas Energy Support Fund

Priority Services Register – British Gas