Making your

energy easy
Ways we can help
In this booklet
Each year we update and send this booklet to all our customers. It’s packed with
information from us and other organisations to help you keep your home safe,
warm and working.

Contents
How can we help you? ..................................................................................................................2
Helping you pay your energy bills ............................................................................................3
Additional financial support ........................................................................................................3
Priority support for those with additional needs ..................................................................4
Helping you stay safe ...................................................................................................................6
Need more information? ..............................................................................................................7
Useful information .........................................................................................................................8

How can we help you?

There are lots of ways we can help you easily manage your gas and electricity.
Helping to make your home more energy efficient
Save money by making your energy go further. Go to britishgas.co.uk/ee or
call us for free on 0800 072 8629 to find out everything from changing your
heating settings to getting energy efficiency advice and more.
Smart meters, smart choice
Smart meters are gas and electricity meters that help you keep an eye on how
much energy you're using at home. They’ll automatically send us your meter
readings, so you don’t have to.
Plus they come with a smart energy monitor that shows you how much energy
you are using in pounds and pence.
They’re also handy for Pay As You Go customers. You can view your balance
on your smart energy monitor and top up from anywhere by using our app,
going online, or popping into a shop.
To find out more or to get your smart meters installed for free visit
britishgas.co.uk/smart
Arranging an interpreter
If English isn’t your first language, we’ll do our best to find an interpreter
who can help.

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Video Relay Service for British Sign Language users
We have partnered with SignVideo to offer a Video Relay service for BSL users.
The service is free to use and is available Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.
Visit britishgas.co.uk/accessibility.html

Helping you pay your energy bills

If you’re having problems paying your bills, please talk to us. We’ve got a team
who can help, with plenty of options: call them on 0333 202 9804.
We can:
• Work out a way for you to pay in instalments
• Change your tariff or the way you pay – like switching your bills to Direct Debit
• Fit a Pay As You Go meter
• Take payments straight from your benefits under the government’s Fuel
Direct scheme
• Install a smart meter to help you keep track of the energy you're using
• Help you on how to make your energy go further with energy efficiency tips
• Let you know how the British Gas Energy Trust and other organisations may be
able to help you

Additional financial support

Disability Living Allowance
If you’re disabled, or care for someone who is, you can also call the
Disability Living Allowance helpline on 0800 121 4600. If you have a textphone,
the number is 0800 121 4523.
The Warm Home Discount scheme
This government scheme includes a one-off payment towards your energy bill.
To find out if you’re eligible, visit britishgas.co.uk/warmhomediscount or call
0800 072 8625. Or if you're a Pay As You Go Energy customer, call
0800 294 8604.
British Gas Energy Trust
You could be eligible for a grant from this independent charity to help pay your
energy bill. Go to britishgasenergytrust.org.uk for more information.
Citizens Advice and Advice Direct Scotland
Citizen Advice can give you help or information about your energy supply – from
how to switch supplier to what to do if you have a power outage. Go online at
citizensadvice.org.uk/energy or call 0808 223 1133; or
If you live in Scotland, you can call Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 196 8660.
Or visit energyadvice.scot

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StepChange Debt Charity
For free debt advice, visit their website at stepchange.org or call them on
0800 138 1111.
Your water company
If you’re struggling to pay your water bills or need some more support,
get in touch with your water company for more information. You can find out who
your water supplier is at water.org.uk/advice-for-customers/find-your-supplier/

Priority support for those with additional needs

The Priority Services Register (PSR) is for people who may need additional
support. So, if you need your bill in a different format like Braille, or you’d like help
with meter readings, it’s a good idea to register.
Who can sign up?
You can sign up if you or someone in your household is:
• Of pensionable age
• Disabled
• Chronically sick
Or if there are children aged five and under living with you.
We also recognise that people can be vulnerable because of life-changing events
such as bereavement, relationship breakdown, job loss, recovery from hospital
treatment or living independently for the first time. If you’d like to join the register
for any of these reasons, then please let us know.
We’ve signed up to the PSR promise
This has been made by all participating energy companies in the UK. We’ll only
share details about your personal situation as agreed with you so that our trusted
partners can tailor their services to help. You’ll get extra support when you need it.
We’ll always follow privacy laws and your PSR information will never be used for
marketing. Once you’ve joined we may contact you occasionally to make sure your
details are accurate and up to date. If your situation changes, or you don’t want to
be on the PSR anymore, just get in touch and we’ll sort it out for you.
How to join
Call us on 0800 072 8625; or if you’re a Pay As You Go customer on
0800 294 8604. Visit britishgas.co.uk/psr for more information.

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What you get from the Priority Services Register
We’ll let you know in advance about any planned supply interruptions.
If your gas or electricity is going to be stopped, your network operator will get
in touch beforehand and advise you on what to do. Your network operator is
the company that manages your supply but not your bills. You’ll also get
priority reconnection.
Free annual gas safety checks
You may be eligible for a free annual check for your gas appliances if you:
• Live alone, or with other people who are all eligible for a pension, or are disabled,
chronically sick or under 18
• Live with a child under five years old
You’ll need to meet certain conditions, like being a homeowner and on means
tested benefits.
Did you know? If you live in rented accommodation, it’s your landlord’s
responsibility to make sure your gas appliances get checked every year.
We’ll send your information in a format that suits you
We can send bills, letters and information in large print, Braille or on a CD.
And we can call you every quarter to talk you through your bills, if that’s helpful.
You can also nominate someone else to discuss or handle your account, if you
prefer. Or support you in setting up of a Power of Attorney.
We’ll help you with meter readings
If there’s no one who can help you read your meter, we’ll send someone to do
it for you.
We’ll give you your own personal password
You can ask us to use a personal password whenever anyone from British Gas
visits your home. That way, you can have confidence about their identity.
We can move your meters
We can look at moving your meters for free if you:
• Can’t reach the safety handle on your gas meter
• Can’t get to your Pay As You Go meter to top it up
We will need to do a site survey first and we won't move them if you think they
would look better somewhere else.

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Helping you stay safe
Sometimes old gas boilers, appliances and damaged pipes can cause gas or
carbon monoxide leaks. We’ve got ways to keep you and your energy supply safe.
What is carbon monoxide?
It’s a poisonous gas. When you burn fuels like wood, oil or gas without enough air
around them, they make carbon monoxide. This could happen in a broken boiler
or fireplace.
How can I tell if it’s carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is odourless, tasteless and invisible, so it’s difficult to detect.
Here are some things you should look out for:
• Stains, soot marks or discolouration on or around your gas boiler
• A smoke smell or a lot of condensation in the room the appliance is in
• A pilot light that goes out a lot. Also, pilot lights should burn blue – if it’s yellow
or orange, it’s a sign that carbon monoxide might be present
The physical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning feel a bit like flu. They
include headaches, dizziness, confusion and extreme tiredness. If you or anyone in
your home shows any of these symptoms, you need to see a doctor immediately.
Carbon monoxide detectors
These set off an alarm if they detect a dangerous amount of carbon monoxide.
They’re easy to get, but if you do buy one, make sure it complies with
BS EN 50291: 2010 and carries one of these signs:
Tip: We’ve got more information online about carbon monoxide alarms.
Visit britishgas.co.uk/coalarm or call 0333 202 9530.
Gas safety checks
If you’d like someone else to carry out any repairs, it’s really important to make
sure they’re Gas Safe registered. You can check they’re qualified at
gassaferegister.co.uk
We can check your gas appliances are safe with our Gas Safety Check. If you’re not
eligible for a free gas safety check but would still like your appliances checking, we
can do it for you.
If we find any problems we’ll explain what’s wrong, what you need to do, and how
much it’ll cost for us to fix it.
Concerned? Call the National Gas Emergency Services. They’re open 24 hours
a day. Call 0800 111 999. If you have a textphone, dial 18001 0800 371 787.
Tip: Remember to keep vents in doors, walls and windows clear, and make sure
your chimney isn’t blocked by birds’ nests or other debris.

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Need more information?
• To download a copy of this leaflet, go to britishgas.co.uk/info
• For a free paper copy call us on 0300 048 0202
• If you’d like this information in another format, like large print, Braille or CD,
call 0800 072 8625
Emergency?
• Gas leaks – call 0800 111 999, textphone: 18001 0800 371 787
• Power cuts – call 105 to be put through to your local electricity network operator
Not 100% happy with our service?
Let us know if something’s gone wrong. We can then try and set it right.
To tell us what’s happened, you can:
• Call us on 0333 202 9802
• Go online, at britishgas.co.uk/energycomplaints
• Or write to us at: Complaints Management Team, PO Box 226,
Rotherham S98 1PB
If you’d like to see a copy of our complaints handling procedure (We're listening),
just ask and we’ll send you one free of charge. You can also find details on
our website at britishgas.co.uk/info
If you want to complain about your network operator, you can usually find their
phone number on your bill.
If you'd like advice from an independent body, you can call the Citizens Advice
consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or visit their website at:
citizensadvice.org.uk/energy or if you live in Scotland, you can call
Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 196 8660. Or visit energyadvice.scot

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 Useful information
If you’d like more information, we have free leaflets we can send out, or you can
look at them online at britishgas.co.uk/info
Lots of ways to pay
How to pay your gas and electricity bill and information on what to do if
you can’t.
Is a Pay As You Go meter right for you?
Everything you need to know about our Pay As You Go meters and how
to switch.
Standards you can expect
The services we provide, the levels of customer care we guarantee, and what
you’re entitled to from the companies that maintain your pipes and cables.
British Gas calling
What to check before you let one of our representatives into your home.
Our Values and Our Code
Our values and our code demonstrate our commitment to being a responsible
business and bind us together in common pursuit of our strategy and purpose.
Find out more on centrica.com
WWCH/REG/BRIT2021 eg+ 759262-5

All the information in this leaflet applies to both British Gas and Scottish Gas.
British Gas and Scottish Gas are trading names of British Gas Trading Limited. Registered in England and Wales
(No. 03078711). Registered office: Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 5GD.
British Gas is a mandatory FIT Licensee. britishgas.co.uk
All the information in this leaflet was correct when we printed it (June 2021).