British Gas Energy Trust grants
British Gas Energy Trust gives grants to organisations working on fuel poverty and debt advice, and separate debt-relief grants directly to households across England, Scotland and Wales — check current status, as one of its household schemes is closed.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
British Gas Energy Trust's mission is to alleviate the impact of poverty, with a focus on fuel poverty. In its most recent reported year it gave around £6.8m to organisations and around £7.5m directly to households, but its published guidance covers mainly the household grants route — a charity wanting to explore its own funding relationship with the trust should contact it directly via its website. For households, the trust makes energy debt relief grants, though its website states that the British Gas Energy Support Fund is currently closed — check the site for current status before applying. To qualify for a household grant, applicants must live in England, Scotland or Wales and generally have a household income of less than £20,328, or have a household member who is registered disabled and receiving a disability benefit, receiving Carer's Allowance, or with three or more children. Applicants must also have had help from a money advice agency, or used the trust's self-help budgeting calculator, in the last six months.
What they fund
British Gas Energy Trust's mission is to alleviate the impact of poverty, with a focus on fuel poverty, through grants to households in energy debt and to organisations working on poverty relief and debt-advice education.
Who and where
It funds households in England, Scotland and Wales facing energy debt, and organisations working on poverty relief — though check current application status, as one of its household schemes is closed.
Who they help
Where they fund
What British Gas Energy Trust says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
What they say they're looking for
“Its mission is to alleviate the detrimental impact of poverty, with a focus on fuel poverty.”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — Independent fuel debt advice – British Gas Energy Trust →
Who they say they'll fund
“Prepayment customers must owe between £50 – £1,700 of energy debt.”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — Energy Grants | British Gas Energy Trust Fund Help with Energy Bills in England, Scotland & Wales →
“Credit customers must owe between £250-£1,700 of energy debt.”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — Energy Grants | British Gas Energy Trust Fund Help with Energy Bills in England, Scotland & Wales →
“Do you live in England, Scotland or Wales?”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — Energy Grants | British Gas Energy Trust Fund Help with Energy Bills in England, Scotland & Wales →
Grant sizes they mention
“debt relief grants direct to households with up to £2,000 in energy debt”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — Independent fuel debt advice – British Gas Energy Trust →
Income limits they mention
“You have a household income of less than £20,328 or someone in the household is registered disabled and receives a disability benefit or receives Carers Allowance or has 3+ children.”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — Energy Grants | British Gas Energy Trust Fund Help with Energy Bills in England, Scotland & Wales →
Deadlines they mention
“If you do not provide the supporting information within 30 days we will assume that you no longer want to apply and your application will be closed”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — British Gas Energy Trust FAQs | Energy Bill Grants, Support & Application Help →
How they say to apply
“British Gas Energy Support Fund is currently closed.”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — Energy Grants | British Gas Energy Trust Fund Help with Energy Bills in England, Scotland & Wales →
“You cannot reapply to the Trust for two years.”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — British Gas Energy Trust FAQs | Energy Bill Grants, Support & Application Help →
“You have received help from a money advice agency or used our trusted partner's self help budgeting calculator tool within the last 6 months.”
Source: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk — Energy Grants | British Gas Energy Trust Fund Help with Energy Bills in England, Scotland & Wales →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
1 the relief of poverty particularly among those who are unable to meet or pay charges for the supply of energy provided to premises used or occupied by them; and 2 the prevention and relief of poverty by educating the public in relation to debt awareness and prevention.
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
Is British Gas Energy Trust open for applications?
Its website states that the British Gas Energy Support Fund is currently closed. Check the funder's own website for the current status of this and any other schemes before applying.
How much energy debt relief can I get?
The trust's own website gives two different figures for this: one page says prepayment customers must owe between £50 and £1,700 of energy debt and credit customers between £250 and £1,700, while another page describes grants of up to £2,000 in energy debt. Check the funder's own website for the figure that currently applies to you.
Who can apply for a household grant?
You must live in England, Scotland or Wales, and generally have a household income of less than £20,328, or have a household member who is registered disabled and receives a disability benefit, receives Carer's Allowance, or has three or more children. You must also have received help from a money advice agency, or used the trust's self-help budgeting calculator, within the last 6 months.
Can I reapply if I'm turned down or already had a grant?
You cannot reapply to the Trust for two years.
How do I apply?
If asked for supporting information, you must provide it within 30 days or your application will be treated as closed. Organisations exploring a funding relationship with the trust, rather than a household grant, should contact it directly via its website. Check the funder's own website (britishgasenergytrust.org.uk) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1179578) for current guidance and application status, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for British Gas Energy Trust?
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Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with British Gas Energy Trust.