Gas & Electricity Support Payments

Gas & Electricity Support Payments

Partick Housing Association successfully secured funding from the Scottish Government to support our tenants with their energy bills for the second year running.

This funding from the Scottish Government means we can help our tenants in a practical way by supporting them with payments toward their gas and electricity bills this winter. This support is not means tested, it is completely free and open to all.

Registration for Gas & Electricity support payments is now closed. The deadline for registration was Wednesday 17 January 2024.

All vouchers, CleverCards and payments will be issued after this date and will be between £49 and £98. Please allow for 4 weeks from the above date for your payment to arrive. The payment amount will depend on how many tenants register in total.

Tenants will receive support in one of the following ways:

  • Tenants with pre-payment meters topped up at PayPoint or at the Post Office will receive a voucher with code.
  • Billed Meter customers who pay by Direct Debit or pay as you go will receive a CleverCard
  • Pre-payment meter customers using an energy provider app will also receive a CleverCard.

NB: CleverCards work similarly to a credit card. The difference is they are topped up with a specific amount of money and can only be used to pay towards gas and electricity bills.

Important: We use a system called Charis to issue Vouchers and CleverCards via text and email.  Please note emails and text messages will come from Charis not PHA.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

If you require support once your voucher or clever card arrives or to book a face-to-face appointment please call us on 0141 648 1532 or 0141 330 1494, Monday to Friday anytime between 10am and 4pm. You can also email us via info@partickha.org.uk. When you call or pop-in to see us, please have a recent gas or electricity bill with you.

IMPORTANT: We will not ask you for your bank details as part of this project. Please be aware of scammers.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What support is available from this project?

This project provides PHA tenants with gas and electricity support payments in the form of:

  • Fuel vouchers and energy payment cards
  • Direct payments to energy providers (by appointment only)

How many fuel vouchers/ payment cards can I get?

This will depend on the number tenants who register for support. Payments will be between £49 (1 voucher/card) and £98 (2 vouchers/cards).

How will I receive my fuel voucher/ energy payment card?

Fuel vouchers/energy payment cards can be issued via text message or email. You can let us know your preference on the registration form. We use a system called Charis to issue these. Please be aware that texts and emails will come from Charis not PHA.

When should I apply by, and when will I receive support?

The deadline for registration is 12pm on Wednesday 17 January 2024. All vouchers and payment cards will be issued after this date. Please allow 4 weeks for your payment to arrive.

We have a small team working to process up to 1,800 referrals and appreciate your patience at this time. Customers who have completed the registration form should receive their support within 4 weeks of the date noted above – contacting us before then will not speed up the process.

Who is eligible to apply?

This project is open to all PHA social housing tenants.

What type of meters are supported and what type of payments are available?

  • For pre-payment meters topped up at PayPoint or at the Post Office, tenants will receive a voucher and code.
  • For billed meters paid by Direct Debit, tenants will receive a CleverCard
  • For pre-payment meters managed via an energy provider App, tenants will receive a CleverCard

Vouchers and Clever Cards are issued electronically via email or text. Please be aware that texts and emails will come from Charis not PHA.

PLEASE NOTE: We are aware that British Gas customers with account numbers beginning with the letter ‘A’ may not be able to accept Clever Card payments. We are working on a way to resolve this, so please still register.

I’ve had a fuel voucher from PHA before, am I still eligible?

If you received any fuel vouchers on or before, you are still eligible to receive support within this round.

I am having difficulty completing the registration form, is there additional support available?

If you require additional support to register, we can offer this over the phone or in person. For help over the phone or to book a face-to-face appointment please call us on 0141 648 1532 or 0141 330 1494, Monday to Friday anytime between 10am and 4pm. You can also arrange an appointment by email at info@partickha.org.uk. When you call or pop-in to see us, please try and have a recent gas or electricity bill with you.

My contact details have changed. What should I do?

For security, if the contact details we hold on account for you differ from those provided on the referral form, we will not be able to issue the requested support payment. If your contact details have changed recently, please reregister above, and contact your Housing Officer to update your account.

How will you protect my data?

For more information about how we use and protect your data, click here.

As part of this project we are collecting equalities information. This is for the purposes of monitoring and reporting, and ensuring we are engaging with vulnerable groups (this is optional).

Can I get support with food supplies?

Food packages are offered by the Partick Pantry at Dowanvale Church – this is set up like a small shop and service users are able to select the items they need.

The Partick Pantry is open every Thursday from 2pm to 4:30pm and at 11.30am to 1pm on the last Saturday of each month. For any enquiries contact the church office on 0141 357 3236 or speak to one of the volunteers.

We also have a limited number of food packages available from the PHA office, for emergency circumstances only. Please contact your housing office to request a referral. For other local free food services please visit the Glasgow Community Food Network.

How else can PHA help?

This project offers short-term support and enables households to establish some security.

We also offer a free, confidential and independent advice service to anyone who lives in a property rented from, or factored by, Partick Housing Association.

Our Money Advice Officer can help:

  • Complete claim forms
  • Contact benefit offices on your behalf
  • Request reconsiderations and appeal decisions
  • Maximise your entitlements to benefits
  • Choose the right benefits to claim

For more information click here.

What other support is available?

For further advice and information on the wider support available, visit the Scottish Government’s website about the cost of living crisis: Help during the cost of living crisis.

Developed by the Scottish Government as a ‘one-stop shop’ to help those struggling with the cost of living crisis, the website includes information on help available for households to meet rising energy, housing and other costs.

It also provides details on accessing Scottish and UK social security payments, including online benefit calculators, as well as wider health and wellbeing information.

Who can I contact for more information?

For more information or if you are unsure about using the online form please email info@partickha.org.uk or call us on 0141 648 1532 or 0141 330 1494, Monday to Friday anytime between 10am and 4pm. Your Housing Officer can also make a referral on your behalf. Housing Officers and contact details.