Emergency Funds / Hardship

cdaly

Hello,
I don't want to be one of these people only adding to the fears and stress that this virus is already causing.. But I can see a local group has been set up to share information to Facebook users amidst concerns. I assume this will have been taking place in a lot of places around the UK and one of the recent concerns was people struggling for crisis payments to buy bare essentials. I thought it would be useful if there was something to show energy providers assistance on the one page, perhaps a link which would list the help and scheme's available to customers i.e. Boost allow a top-up if your prepayment meter runs out and this can be repaid when next topped up, and places like Scottish Power have a voucher scheme usually only accessible through third party referral form, however, I understand they may take self-referral's due to the current state. Or even a factsheet of some sort. Does anyone know if something like this exists?

SnowTiger

The Express published an article about energy companies freezing payments a couple of days ago.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1255598/coronavirus-UK-energy-companies-EDF-energy-UK-work-from-home-covid-19-latest

Sadly, it's short on details and only specifically mentions EDF who say they will look at cases 'on an individual basis, but additional support we could offer may include repayments made over a longer period of time, delay payment for a short period or offer alternative payment arrangements.'

The larger energy companies may be able and willing to freeze payments.  However many of the smaller ones appear to live from hand to mouth, which is why they go bust on a regular basis.

There's a suggestion the government may help with household bills.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8120341/Rishi-Sunak-unveils-massive-package-stop-UK-going-bust-amid-coronavirus.html:

Ministers are set to mount a desperate bid to stop coronavirus effectively sending the UK bust tonight - with hundreds of billions pumped into bailing out businesses and speculation utility bills and council tax could be scrapped.

Government economists laid out the extraordinary options as Chancellor Rishi Sunak prepares to unveil a massive package of aid for those caught up in the chaos.

The huge intervention comes after the US put forward its own $850billion plan to weather the storm ravaging the globe. offering to delay tax bills, bolster sick pay and supply emergency food. Every American could also be handed a $1,000 cheque to help keep the economy moving.