Food, energy and safety

Find out more about Free school meals and help with school uniform.

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to Get help to buy healthy food and milk.

Recycle for Greater Manchester has top tips to help you waste less food, and help save money.

Energy

Between 1 July and 30 September 2024, annual energy bills for a typical dual-fuel direct debit household in Great Britain are around £1,568.  This is around £122 a year less than the previous price cap.

• Council tax energy rebate – view more information on the energy rebate schemes and apply for the discretionary rebate
• Find out more about a range of services provided locally via the Household Support Fund 

If you’re struggling with heating costs, you might qualify for government support: 

• The Warm Home Discount Scheme means you could get a winter discount on your heating bills if you receive Pension Credit or are on a low income.

• If you were born on or before 25 September 1956, you could be entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment and Pensioner Cost of Living Payment (between £250 and £600) to help you pay your heating bills.   

• You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest. 

• Help for Households - Get government cost of living support 

• The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme - a government backed initiative aimed at improving the energy efficiency rating of thousands of homes across Great Britain and reducing homeowners’ energy bills.

Find out about Energy efficiency in the home

• Energy Guidance and Efficiency - Free, impartial advice on energy from Bolton’s Money Skills Service
• Lowering your household bills - gas, electric & water - Advice from Bolton at Home 
• Energy saving advice and information regarding Electricity North West’s Extra Care Service (power cuts)
• Priority Services | United Utilities - Information regarding United Utilities (water supplier) Priority Service for customers who need extra support.  
• Learn how to save money on your energy bills with the Energy Saving Trust
• Uswitch - compare prices for energy 
• Get help from Ofgem - the independent energy regulator for Great Britain

Pre Payment Meter Debt

Think your pre-payment meter is charging you too much?

The money you put in a gas or electricity pre-payment meter not only pays for fuel you are using but also any debts you have built up in previous months.

Debts that are added to pre-payment meters include:

• Current and accrued standing charges, which is a daily cost added to the meter even when its not being used i.e. during the summer months.
• Any types of emergency credit you have used in the past
• Any other debt you owe

Need help?

Ring your supplier and ask for all your debt to be moved into a repayment plan and ask for the minimum amount to be deducted for each supply, which can be as low as £3.75 a week for each meter. 

What happens next?

Your supplier will explain the process as this can vary, but a signal should be sent to your meter to move the debt to ‘the back of the queue for repayment’. However, you may need to top up your meter a couple of times to activate the plan.

Safety

As household energy bills rise, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) encourages residents to stay safe while cooking and heating their homes. 

There are lots of tips and advice on how to heat your home safely, stay safe in the kitchen and other ways to keep you and your loved ones safe from fire on GMFRS’ website. 

• Your Safety - Greater Manchester Fire Rescue Service 

• ActionFraud - National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre 

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